The Date
by RachelDemented
Summary: Cordelia doesn’t know what to think when Angel suddenly starts dating. (in progress, 10 now up, 1 more part to complete)
1.

The Date rachel peek Normal rachel peek 2 4 2001-10-19T16:23:00Z 2001-11-10T08:01:00Z 2001-11-10T08:01:00Z 3 2538 14470 120 28 17770 9.2720 

Title: **The Date** (1)  
Author: Rachel 

Email: rachelfromihj@hotmail.com  
Homepages: Rach's Stuff and Under A Blue Night

Rating: PG 13  
Summary: Cordelia doesn't know what to think when Angel suddenly starts dating.

Dedication: To Angel and Cordelia, and all those C/A shipper fans out there for taking the long road! It's gonna happen eventually!  
Distribute: Take it, please!  
Written: On a whim, started September 5, 2001

Takes place: 2002.  
  


  
"Jezebel," Cordelia hissed under her breath. It hadn't been a loud sound, but Gunn, sitting whilst reading the newest issue of Entertainment Weekly in a chair a half dozen feet away, looked over anyway; a slightly curious spark in his eye and his lips pursed so as if he were waiting to hear more. Cordelia said nothing but looked away. Gunn looked back at his magazine. And the display in the lobby continued on unaffected before them. Cordelia rolled her eyes.  
  
Angel and his "date" were slipping on their coats. Or, actually, his "date" was while Angel helped. Cordelia didn't understand what it was that he saw in this "woman". She didn't seem to have any qualities Cordelia would think Angel would go for. She didn't know how to fight, she wasn't a cop, she wasn't into sucking blood (that Cordelia knew of anyway) and she didn't have blonde hair! Why on earth would Angel be even remotely interested was beyond her comprehension. She nearly winced as Angel helped his "date" slide her hair from beneath the lapel of her slightly—okay, VERY fashionable—no, TRENDY—suede-skin camel dyed duster. Cordelia's eyes flitted across the woman's face and sure enough it was there: that damn flirtatious smirk girls used to show guys that they approved of being helped on with their coats, and more so, that they'd like them do to it again and again and again, on many more dates. Future dates. This meant she was just as interested in Angel as Angel was apparently in her. Of course this woman had asked Angel out, so obviously she was interested. That should be no surprise to Cordelia.   
  


Cordelia leaned forward in slight anticipation as the two turned to head out of the hotel. Sure enough, Angel's hand flitted across the small of his "date's" back. The "date" turned and smiled. Angel smiled. Everyone was smiling. Cordelia grimaced. The "date" leaned in close. Whispered something. Angel laughed. And they were gone.  
  
_He'd laughed._  
  
Cordelia started to feel nauseas.

"Plech!" She spit into her trashcan.  
"Now that was tactful," Gunn said surely, tossing his magazine to the side.  
"I don't get it," Cordelia growled, all the while looking disgusted. "I just don't get it."  
  
Three weeks earlier, Angel had waltzed into the Hotel looking just a tad too carefree. The skip in his step and the whistle on his lips and the goofy, boyish grin on his face did nothing to deter it. Cordelia had been sitting in this very same spot, blandly looking over a case file filled with fun facts about a monster they'd managed to destroy the night before. With Wesley's nearly illegible Watcher scrawl scribbled across each page and a stamp of approval from Cordelia, the case was closed. She'd shoved it all into this folder, stuck some paperclips in various places to hold it together, and was just about to get up to file it away when the vampire walked in, looking almost…sunny.  
  
"Hey, guys!"  
"Hey." Cordelia and Gunn said together, both stalling on the "ey" part as they realized how peculiar Angel appeared. He looked almost…happy. He'd gone out for a quick fight, and yes, staking vamps usually worked as an upper on this guy, but no way should he of been behaving quite like this.  
"What's going on?" Cordelia demanded. Typical worried Cordelia, flat and serious.  
"Huh?" He queried, preoccupied as if he hadn't heard the question.   
"Dude, what's with the waltz?" Gunn broke in.  
"Huh? Oh!" And then he smiled. Wide. And Cordelia's eyes narrowed and she peered at him.  
  
Angel wasn't being Angel. Angel wasn't being moody, broody, melancholy, or any of the other typical "ey's". He was stepping lightly, smirking to himself, and sashaying up to her desk. He toyed his fingers along the frazzled leaves of Cordelia's desk fern—it needed water—and the action alone was almost enough for her to smack his hand away and demand he snap out of whatever daze he was in. Instead she waited with her jaw slack open.  
  
"I…" He shrugged, "Had a good day."  
"Nuh, huh." Cordelia frowned. Shaking her head, she rose from her chair. Gunn moved to gather in beside her, and the two regarded the vampire with a mixture of confusion, awe, and suspicion. "NUH HUH. You didn't have a good day," She said, crossing her arms. "Because that doesn't happen. Angel, you don't just _have_ a good day. Something happened. Something different. What happened? You'd better tell it, and you'd better tell it quick, cause I'm getting really uneasy about this and I don't want to have to stake you…or Angelus?" That last part was a question, and at the arching of her skeptical brow, Angel chuckled, shaking his head, which did little to calm her nerves.  
"Yeah, man." Gunn asked. "What's going on?"   
  
Angel turned away, now not only smiling to smile, but smiling because he was amused. His friends' behavior had not been a surprise. He'd wondered on the way home just how he was going to explain this to them. He'd have to tell them. After all…he'd be out for the rest of the night. It's not like they wouldn't notice his absence. And they'd want to know why. They'd ask lots of questions. They'd demand the truth, and know if he were lying. So he wouldn't lie. Besides, this was something he didn't want to have to hide. He wanted them to know about this. As much as it may confuse them, they'd have to know.  
"I HAVE A DATE!"  
  
Cordelia's jaw dropped and Gunn's brow shot up and the both of them ceased all bodily functions including breathing for that particular moment, and it took a moment for his words to actually register. Angel grinned and smiled and swayed his shoulders and hips in a little, excited happy-dance that somehow only Cordelia seemed to finding completely unnerving.  
"STOP THAT!" She insisted. "STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!"  
"Yo, whatch you mean you got a date?" Gunn drawled. He leaned back against the desk, folding his arms in suspense. Cordelia looked from one face to the other, waiting for the "ye olde pale one" to speak. When he finally did, she didn't know if she'd heard right.  
"Just what I said…" Angel smiled giddily. "I have a date!"  
"An actual date?" (Gunn)  
"AN ACTUAL DATE???" (Cordelia)  
"Yo, man, congratulations!" (Gunn)  
"Thanks!" (Angel)  
The two of them knocked fists and Cordelia nearly blew her top.  
"What the hell do you mean you have a date!" She shoved Gunn aside and marched up to Angel.  
"This girl…!" Angel said incredulously. "This girl! She asked me out! I was on the promenade, walking off my adrenaline, you know, after taking out that smell demon? Well, she just walked up to me. She asked me if I knew where Marco's was. I said yes. I told her the way. We somehow started talking about other things, and she asked if I'd like to meet her there later,"  
"Marco's??" Cordelia snipped. "Eww, that dive???"  
"Yeah,"  
"And you said YES???"  
"Yeah!"  
"Are you CRAZY!!!" Cordelia grabbed Angel by the shoulders and shook. "Are you whacked??? You can't go out on a DATE! Angel!!! You CAN NOT go out on a DATE!"  
"Why not?" He asked, looking slightly perturbed as he fought to remove her hands from his lapel. "Cordy, you used to go out on dates all the time,"  
"Keyword being 'used to'!"  
"It's not my fault you stopped!"  
"No! It's the visions' fault…Angel, you can't go!!!"  
"Why not!"  
"YOU'RE A VAMPIRE!"  
"And…?"  
"ANGEL! Are you HEARING YOURSELF??? Do you know what you're saying??? Did you get a hold of some bad blood—Are you HIGH? YOU CAN NOT GO OUT ON A DATE!" She grabbed his lapel and did the shaking thing again.  
"Date?" It was Wesley. He walked in, set down a book and then circled around to where the others were standing, Cordelia's hands gripped Angel's coat so hard her knuckles were turning white and there was a maddening glare in her eye that made Wesley lean in for a closer look and then decidedly take a couple of steps back. Angel again loosened Cordelia's grip and brushed her off.  
"I have a date, Wesley," He said lightly.  
"Do you hear that, WESLEY?" Cordelia blared, spinning around and facing the ex-Watcher. "ANGEL has a DATE."  
"A date?" He repeated  
"A DATE." She snipped.  
"Really?"

He shifted his glasses and seemed to think for a moment.  
  
Cordelia folded her arms sourly, and smirked. Now Angel was in for it; no way would Wes, good old Wes, condone anything like this! Angel was gonna get the Wesley Wyndam-Pryce lecture special! About how Vampires with souls CAN NOT in ANYWAY DATE—  
  
"And just who is the special lady?"  
  
WHAT. Cordelia shook her head, blinked, then shook her head again. Sticking a finger in her ear to clear the wax, she listened again cause no way did she hear it right the first time!  
"Yo man, is she fly?" Gunn asked.   
  
Wesley and Gunn were congratulating him! Immediately, Cordelia's hands went to her hips and her nostrils flared.  
  
"She's…okay. Cute."(Angel)  
"Right on!" (Gunn)  
"That's terrific!" (Wesley)  
"Wesley!" Cordelia snapped. "Gunn!"  
"I think it's terrific," Wesley continued. "I think it's great that Angel's making new friends."  
"Oh my god!" The brunette's eyes were nearly popping out of her head from the stress.  
"Whatever makes you happy," Gunn shrugged. More with the fist knocking.  
"HAPPY??? ANGEL HAPPY? HELLO? What if she's a spy!" Cordelia shouted out. "What if she were sent by, like, Wolfram and Hart or something! What if she wants to kill you!"  
Angel looked thoughtful.

"No," He said shaking his head. "If she were going to kill me, she'd have tried something there. I mean, probably… And besides," He looked over at her. "She didn't smell like Wolfram and Hart."  
"So. Say she's not from Wolfram and Hart. Then she doesn't even know what you are???"  
"If things develop…I'd tell her…eventually."  
"You're crazy."  
"If Angel wants to date, let him date!" Gunn argued.  
"It's about time, really," Wesley said in all honesty.  
"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but it probably wont go past a couple of drinks." Angel shrugged. "She asked. I couldn't turn her down."  
"I wouldn't have turned her down either," Gunn grinned.  
"There's nothing wrong with accepting an invitation out…" 

Wesley's proper, reasonable tone prompted an immediate growl out of the Seer, now forgotten on the way side in the sudden flood of testosterone.  
  


"Dude…describe her." (Gunn)  
"Is she a blonde? A redhead? Oh, a brunette?" (Wesley)  
"She's cute." Angel repeated, smiling.  
"ARE ANY OF YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME???" Cordelia screamed. But her cries were lost on deaf ears. The two human buffoons were huddled in fascination around the now-deemed Crazy Vampire Retard, and Cordelia, seething with disbelief, moved in with a mission. Time for more shaking.  Or not.  
  
Spinning him around, Cordelia gave Angel a good, hard slap! And he recoiled, hand going to cheek. And then Cordelia spun around and slapped Wesley and Gunn, all in one swoop, like a scene out of The Three Stooges. Gunn had seen it coming, and had backed up enough only taking fingertips. Wesley however cried out, causing Cordelia to feel just a little bit bad about it. BUT SOMEONE HAD TO SMACK SOME SENSE INTO THEM. 

  
She turned back to Angel, wagging her finger in his face. She started a barrage of scoldings, pointing out the finer details of his curse, and reminded him of the last few times he'd became involved with strange women—Rebecca Lowell, anyone? And all about the Darla fiasco that nearly sent him over the edge last year. And finally, whole heartedly, she went into the details of one night last fall when he and Fred had had a "moment" and how he'd pushed her away because of the whole curse deal. She'd rather of found out they were moving back to Sunnydale then find out he had a "date". At least she could make since out of Sunnydale…vampires and demons and werewolves, galore! Lots to do. Lots of ass to kick. Now, for the time being anyway, the only ass to kick was Angel's. And she was completely up for the job!  
"SO DON'T TELL ME YOU HAVE A DATE," She crescendo'd. "Don't tell me you've got a date. Angel, I swear to god, if you have a date, I am seriously going to beat the unliving CRAP out of you, do you hear me! DO YOU HEAR ME!!!"  
"I hear, I hear!" He cried, holding his hands over his face to ward off any more blows. Cordelia stalked in a circle about nine feet across. All three men had backed away out of reach.   
'Calm down, Cordy. Get a grip,' She told herself. She took deep breaths. It helped…a little. 

"Angel, how could you!" She was pleading now. Her voice had softened and as she approached, he didn't recoil…as much. "Angel…honestly! Tell me you're thinking clearly! Tell me you're not insane!"  
"Cordy, it's just for a drink."  
"IT'S NEVER JUST FOR A DRINK!" She screamed. "Not with you it isn't!" She was near hyperventilation. How could she get it through his thick, vampire skull! Forcing herself to breathe, forcing out the words, she said, "It's not just a drink, Angel! You've been ogled plenty of times before by strange women! You've never taken them up on it!"  
"It's a drink, Cordelia! I don't understand why you have such a problem with it!" His annoyance was suddenly back in full swing, the scowl on his face proved that.  
"HELL-LO!" She howled, flailing her arms. "Did I not just run off about a gazillion things in my outburst???"  
"You made some points," He said very casually, moving past her in the opposite direction. She started to catch his arm, but he turned and grabbed hers instead. "And if you hit me again," He warned, pointing his finger in her face, "I'll hit you back."  
  


He knew he wouldn't. She knew he wouldn't. But it was enough to get her attention, and she settled down.

  
"I'm sorry!" She heaved desperately shrugging away from him. Her chest had become tight and constricted during the heated moment, and now it was taking it's toll not allowing her to breathe properly. Angel supported her for a moment until he knew she was okay, but she struggled to free herself from him. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have slapped you!" She turned, glancing in Wes and Gunn's direction to include them in the apology. They meagerly accepted. "I just…" She turned back to Angel, sunken shoulders and head bowed. "Angel, I just…I don't want anything bad to happen to you. To US."  
"I know." He said, his own expression softening as he let most of the animosity leave his voice. Coming back to her, he reached out a hand, placing it gently on her shoulder, and leaned down to speak softly. "Cordy, I understand. I do. But it's my decision. You always said I should get out more. This girl asked me to meet her for a drink, and I accepted. I thought you'd be happy."  
"But Angel—"  
"Look." His voice fell a little more, and the red mark from her hand dissipated from his pale face. The hurt look in his eyes…   
  
'Jeez!' Cordelia thought. 'Kicked puppy dog, much?'   
  
"…If you don't want me to go, I'll go to her and explain that I can't stay. Then I'll come back here and we can all…" He regarded the lobby unenthusiastically. "Sit around, or, something."   
  


'Jeez. Milk it.' Cordelia sighed heavily. 

"No." She said reluctantly, and he smiled. "No, I don't want that…go. Go have your…drink." She had meant it just as it had sounded: singular. One drink. "And THEN tell her you can't stay!"  
Angel's smile immediately cracked.  
"Or not!" She reiterated. She was defeated. She knew it. She pulled away from his grip and went back to her desk. "Go on, Angel. Go. Have fun. Have your drink, er, drinks, with your "date". Go on. Get out. Before I change my mind. Just go."  
"You wont hold it against me?" He asked softly.  
She rose her gaze and stared at him through fallen trestles of hair. "No. I wont hold it against you. You know that I wont."  
"Which is why I love you." He said. So, everything was solved…for the moment. "Don't wait up."  
  
She allowed a small, though totally fake, smile to grace her pretty features, and then he left. Behind her, Wesley rubbed his cheek, hard, and Gunn fell into a chair with an amused expression…  
  
…Much like he was wearing now, three weeks later.  
  
"I just don't get it." Cordy heaved.  
"Cordy…stop being jealous."  
"Jealous???" She repeated, sitting up straight. "OF HER??? I'm not jealous!"  
"Angel likes her. Give her a chance. I'm sure she's got…something to offer." He cocked his head to the side and drew up a mental picture of the girl who'd picked up Angel. The grin on his face showed he highly approved.  
"Oh, shut up, Gunn!" Cordelia barked. "You just like her because she looks like that what's-her-face…Denise Richards!"  
"It helps," Gunn leered, and then laughed as Cordelia threw a wadded up napkin at him.  
  
After a moment, she sighed, 

"Why did she have to show up now? She's going to ruin everything. I just know it!"  
"She's not going to ruin anything!" Gunn exclaimed. "Besides, Angel would want her there!"  
"Why?" 

The wrinkled up nose sent Gunn into hysterics.  
"Because she's his girlfriend!"  
"DON'T YOU DARE USE THAT WORD!" Cordelia exclaimed. "Don't you dare!"  
"Well she IS his gir—"  
"TUT, TUT, TUT!"  
"If she ain't his _girl,_ then what is she?" Gunn waited patiently for the comeback.  
"She's his…" Cordelia looked for the right expression. "_Date_."


	2. 

The Date rachel peek Normal rachel peek 2 28 2001-10-19T16:24:00Z 2001-11-10T08:01:00Z 2001-11-10T08:01:00Z 3 2042 11643 97 23 14298 9.2720 

Title: **The Date** (2)  
Author: Rachel 

Email: rachelfromihj@hotmail.com  
Homepages: Rach's Stuff and Under A Blue Night

Rating: PG 13  
Summary: Cordelia doesn't know what to think when Angel suddenly starts dating.

Dedication: To Angel and Cordelia, and all those C/A shipper fans out there for taking the long road! It's gonna happen eventually!  
Distribute: Take it, please!  
Written: On a whim, started September 5, 2001

Takes place: 2002.  
  
  


  
"Hi."  
"Back so soon?"  
  
Cordelia glanced at the clock. It was barely eleven. On a Saturday even. He'd only been gone about thirty minutes. Angel's "date" usually kept him out until at least past one…if not two, lately. Of course, they never started until after ten…Angel always slayed the demons first. Visions first, social enjoyment second. Cordelia was relieved she at least had THAT over the "date". She also often wondered what excuses Angel had been using on the "date" to explain all the late night excursions…anyone with half a brain would realize that they'd never seen their new guy in sunlight. But then this was Angel's "date" they were talking about…you couldn't expect much from the "date".  
But why should Cordelia care? She'd never even really cared enough to ask—and of course this is a big fat lie. Cordelia's curiosity nearly drove her insane on a daily basis, but she would never ask; regarding the "date", she'd never do anything but appear indifferent. It was her only true way to protest against…the "date".  
  
Angel looked troubled. Cordelia perked a brow.  
  
"Yeah," He started, in regards to the previous question. "Paige wasn't feeling well. So we ended early."  
"Oh," Cordelia awed. "I'm truly sorry to hear that. I hope it's nothing serious," Cordelia waltzed passed Angel to retrieve a cup of coffee from the coffee maker. He regarded her with complacency but didn't give her much space to maneuver about. "Excuse me." She huffed as she bumped into him then had to squeeze past to make it back to her desk. Angel hovered right behind her, never letting her get more than a step or two away.  
"Where are the guys?" He asked.  
"At a movie. With Fred."  
"They do that a lot, don't they?"  
"Yeah," She answered dejectedly. "They do."  
"It doesn't bother you?"  
"Why should it? They have lives…apparently just like_ everybody_ else."  
"Why don't you go with them?"  
"Don't feel like it."  
He didn't respond; instead, toyed with a book on Wesley's desk. Cordelia took it as a sign their chitchat was over, so she sat back down and went back to her papers.  
"It's quiet." He commented.  
"Yeah…perfect when you're trying to go over invoices."   
  
Her sarcasm was not lost on him, but still he dwindled. So the chitchat wasn't over… 

Under his scrutiny, Cordelia appeared uncomfortable. To play it off, she continued reading papers.  
"Cordelia…"  
"Hmn?"  
"Can I talk to you about something?"  
"About…?"  
"Paige."  
"Uh, sure." Her voice was far too "uppity". She sat back in her chair, suddenly snatching up her full coffee cup and bringing it to her lips as she took a small sip—all in the hopes to appear convincing, and the while staring blankly at the mess on her desk. Another moment of hovering passed before Angel grabbed up and dragged Gunn's desk chair and with a bump and a scrape, set it down across from her. He took a seat, completely silent—not even the swish of his leather jacket—and continued to regard her with an intense stare until she surrendered her attention fully to him.  
"What's up?" She asked all too guiltily.  
"You tell me." He hadn't said it sharply, but Cordelia recoiled all the same. She set her cup down and put all the effort she could muster into being indifferent. 'Think it. Want it. Believe it.' She reminded herself—tips from acting class. With a flutter of her eyelashes, and a quick, unconvincing shrug, Cordelia attempted to play it out.  
"Angel, I really don't know what you mean."  
"Cordy," Angel said almost painfully. He shifted in the chair until it creaked. Awkward noises seemed to put humans at ease. It was no different with Cordelia. It made him seem…more human, maybe… Settling his elbows on his knees, he leaned forward, rubbing his face in his hands and resting his chin in his palm determinedly. "Tell me." He asked. "Please. What do you have against Paige."  
"I don't—!" Cordelia swore. "I don't have anything against…her."   
Angel rolled a groan through his throat. She wouldn't even say Paige's name. "Be straight with me." He forced, eyes never leaving hers. "I heard the jezebel comment, Cordy,"  
"Oh. That" Cordelia looked away shamefully; heart speeding just a little, face flushing with the increased blood flow.  
"It's okay, I'm not mad," Angel smirked. "I just want to know what's up."  
"I don't know." She finally admitted. "I just…I don't know. She's like…an outsider."  
"And you want to exclude her because of that? Isn't that a little redundant?"  
"I don't want to exclude her!" Cordelia hissed. "Not…much."  
"Cordy," He was cocking his head at her, giving her that disappointed parent stare.  
"Alright! Alright!" She held up her hand in surrender. "Alright, I'll be straight with you."  
"Good. Because that's all I've ever wanted."  
"She bugs me." Cordelia glared at the top of her desk with a grimace of so much distaste, Angel had to hide his amusement.  
"And why's that?" He asked.  
"Because…I don't know. Just because!"  
"There's got to be a reason."  
"Well, because…" She glanced at her fashion magazine. It had come in the mail today. "She…dresses…weird."  
Angel cocked his brow. 

"Cordy, she dresses like you."  
"Not really." Cordelia retorted, but he was waiting for a better answer. She sighed. "She's like…phony. Or something."  
"You've never even had a conversation with her."  
"That's because I don't need to. I can just tell."  
"You've barely spent five minutes alone with her."  
"Twelve."  
"Excuse me?"  
"Twelve."  
"Twelve what?"  
"Minutes."  
"Huh?"  
"I spent twelve minutes with her. Alone." At the blank expression on his face, she expanded. "Remember? Last week? She came by and you had to go and change your socks. It took you twelve minutes to get back downstairs. And I had to spend twelve whole minutes alone with her because Wes, Fred and Gunn went to another movie without me…and you were upstairs…changing your socks, or whatever. So I was alone with her…for twelve minutes…twelve whole minutes, Angel. Twelve." She held up both hands, flashing first ten fingers and then two for emphasis. Angel stared at her in absolute awe.  
"Oh the horrors," He deadpanned. "I'm really sorry I put you through that, I'll never do it again."  
"Next time," Cordelia hissed sourly. "Have the right socks on when she gets here."  
"They'd gotten all wet in the sewer."  
"Not my concern."  
"Alright," He was trying hard to humor her, but Cordelia was being so irrational. He, did not, however, want to anger her or alienate her or hurt her any further. Obviously, Cordelia was hurt by something. And they said Vampires were touchy… "No more changing socks." Angel agreed. "I go as I am. Now, what else?"  
"What else what?" She scowled.  
"What else do you not 'like' about her?"  
"I don't know."  
"Don't give me that. Be straight."  
"I don't know!"  
"'I don't know' isn't an answer, Cordy."  
"Well, tell me why you do like her, and I'll try to counter that!"

He scowled impatiently.

"Cordy, it doesn't work that way."  
"Well!"  
"Well???"  
"Well…"  
"Give me something to work with here, Cordy. Let me understand—"  
"I just don't like the way she is with you." She'd said it quickly, and immediately regretted it.  
"And how is that?" Angel asked in all seriousness. Now she had to elaborate. Great. Just great…  
"Like…" She started, squinting her eyes, and gesturing with her hands. "All…_touchy_."  
"What's wrong with touchy?"  
"It's...like…all…touchy!" The way she said it…with such distaste. "I just don't like it. It makes me…uncomfortable."  
"Hmn,"  
"And the guys too!" She quickly lied. "They don't like it either! You should…you should make her stop."  
"Oh, really."  
"Yes. Really. Uncomfortable. All…very…uncomfortable." Cordelia wanted to crawl under her desk and hide. The scrutiny in his eyes… But he was playing it cool.   
  
And that just made the whole thing worse.  
  
"Why hasn't anyone said anything?" He asked.  
"Because they…" Stall. "Don't want to…" Fish. "Bother you," Cordelia was racking her brain. It really angered her that she couldn't come up with anything better. It was even more angering when Angel called her on it.  
"I don't think that's a solid argument," Angel reasoned. "I mean, Fred is touchy, and you never cared,"  
"That's because it's Fred!" Cordelia whined. "Fred is Fred! Fred is different!"  
"How's Fred different?"  
"Duh! Because she's FRED!" How to explain to make him realize? "KATE! Kate was different! This…"date" of yours…" More distaste. "Look. I don't know how much clearer I can make this, but…Look. I wouldn't even be upset if you were this touchy with Gunn, but—"  
"Uh, NOT gonna happen." Angel clarified.  
"OBVIOUSLY." Cordelia quickly agreed. "But, my point is, it's…just…her. She doesn't fit in, Angel. She doesn't fit in like Fred or Gunn…or even Kate, I guess. She's just…" She sighed. "The "date" just doesn't fit in."  
"Her name is Paige, and she'd fit in if you gave her half a chance. She's nice, Cordy. She's a nice person. If you hung out with her, just once, I bet…"  
"Buffy was a nice person," Cordelia pointed out childishly, gripping her desk as she leaned back in her chair until the two front legs rose slightly off the floor. "But you don't see me hanging out with her, now do you?"   
Angel paused. 

"This isn't about Buffy."  
"At least Buffy knew who you were, WHAT you were," Cordelia went on. "This…Paige…she doesn't know…" Her hazel eyes rose and met his brown ones. Cordelia looked away sadly. She breathed. "Or does she?"  
Angel shook his head shamefully, having nothing to retort.  
"See?" Cordelia sighed in exasperation. "See what I mean!"  
"I was planning on telling her." He gulped. "Tonight, actually. I didn't get a chance to though."  
  
Now Cordelia paused. Slowly the chair was brought to rest fully on the floor. She shifted, uncomfortably, not knowing how to react.   
"Oh?" She tried finally, voice in half a whisper as she pushed her coffee cup around on the desk. A wet ring had imprinted itself on and bled some important documents, but she was too preoccupied to notice it right then. 

Angel had been going to tell this girl about the situation? Really??? 

"You were going to tell her? Tonight??? Then Wow." Cordelia sighed in resolve. "You must really like her then, huh?"  
"I don't know." Angel said truthfully, leaning back to rest fully in his chair. He looked as blown away as she did. Maybe even blown further. Cordelia hadn't realized things had gotten so close between him and the "date". 

Before Cordy could say much else, Angel addressed her next concern. Good thing too, cause she wasn't sure how to bring it up. Angel just looked a little lost.   
"I know that she has to know before anything can go…farther."  
"Just…how far…has it gone?"  
"Not far."  
"Well…that's a relief."  
"To no one more than me."  
"I'm sorry, Angel…I had no idea."  
"I know. It's okay. I just…would really like your support in this, Cordy." He regarded her sincerely, and Cordelia felt her heart drop in her chest. "You know, you can be a really hard person to need." His tone was all too earnest. "If ever…anything…happens…with Paige, with anyone…I want…need…you, to be there, and to support it. I can't do anything without you on my side. It's really important to me that you're on my side. Because things get rough, I don't kid myself. Really rough. And if I don't have you there, nothing will work. Nothing works without you. Nothing else matters."  
  


"Really?" 

A beat.  
  


"Yes."

Another beat.  
  


But Cordelia wasn't letting go that easily, not without one last try. 

"She just bothers me, Angel." She whimpered. It was the same excuse, but never delivered with so much apathy. It never stood a chance.  
"I don't accept that." He said quietly.  
"Do you want me to make up something then?"  
"No. Of course not."  
"Then you'll have to accept it." Cordelia teetered on strength. She sat up in her chair, very straight and professional, and picked up a pen, and started…doodling—"I Hate P"—on some paper, on her important documents. Of course she scribbled it out quickly, before Angel could see, but still…not such a good sign.   
"Angel, you'll just have to accept it…" A breath. "Because I…" She felt him watching. "Honestly…" He could see right through her. He saw the silly façade she was so desperately trying to fend. And he wouldn't look away because he just wasn't that merciful. 248, scratch it, 249 years as a Vampire, and Angel had the staring game down pat. Cordelia made the mistake of glancing into his eyes…big, brown, deep saucers…and her will fell with a timber.   
  
"I'd never hold it against you." He whispered. "Never expect you to apologize."  
  
It was over.  
  
She started to smile, feeling foolish. And wriggling, she took up his offer of a way out. "I…I can't think of…a good reason…right now. So…"  
"So…you'll…?"  
Cordelia sighed a heavy breath. "I'll give her a chance."  
Angel smiled calmly. "Thank you. Promise?"  
"Yeah." She said. "Sure. Whatever. Maybe we could all go to a movie or something."  
"I'd appreciate it." He got up, stopping to plant a hard, approving kiss against her temple. She smiled, but then his hand pet the back of her head.  
"Hey," She said, swatting it away. "I'm not a dog, ya know!"  
"And I'd never mistake you for one." He started to head towards the stairs when Cordelia remembered something important.  
"Hey! Angel!"   
  
He stopped, hand on the banister, and turned to face her.   
  
"What are you doing this Friday after work?"  
He shrugged. "I don't know, nothing special. Why?"  
"Well, keep it open." Cordelia said sharply. "Don't make any plans."  
He nodded, and would have asked why, but she'd already turned her back on him, signaling there was nothing more to say. Angel went upstairs to retire an early night.


	3. 

The Date rachel peek Normal rachel peek 2 16 2001-10-19T16:25:00Z 2001-11-10T08:02:00Z 2001-11-10T08:02:00Z 3 1865 10635 88 21 13060 9.2720 

Title: **The Date** (3)  
Author: Rachel 

Email: rachelfromihj@hotmail.com  
Homepages: Rach's Stuff and Under A Blue Night

Rating: PG 13  
Summary: Cordelia doesn't know what to think when Angel suddenly starts dating.

Dedication: To Angel and Cordelia, and all those C/A shipper fans out there for taking the long road! It's gonna happen eventually!  
Distribute: Take it, please!  
Written: On a whim, started September 5, 2001

Takes place: 2002.  
  


  
"Hi, Paige. How are you?"  
"Fine, thanks for asking."  
"Sure."  
  
So far, so good. Cordelia had been openly polite. Angel smiled at her from behind Paige's head, and Cordelia decided his well-being was well worth it…for now. The other's came up behind her and offered their greetings.  
"So, what movie is it tonight, guys?" Angel asked curiously, nearly wrapping his arm around Paige's shoulders. Cordelia resisted the urge to purge.  
"The Queen Of The Damned," Fred answered. "It just came out. I love Anne Rice…even though it's fiction."   
Angel froze. Paige didn't notice. However, Cordelia did.  
"So, do you…like…vampires, Paige?" Cordelia asked, looping her arm through the other girl's and forcibly pulling her away from Angel and towards the door.   
"It's kind of a gothy thing." Paige shrugged with a giggle.  
'Gothy thing?' Cordelia turned back and mouthed in amusement to the group. Gunn and Fred smiled, Wesley looked worried, and Angel looked petrified.  
"I guess it's okay." Paige went on. "Really, the modern vampire is a glorified fabrication of pop culture… But what's not to like? Charming, handsome, eternal men? With great style and a flair for the sensual," She turned and looked at Angel in a flirty, dirty-whore way…or so Cordelia thought.  
"So, then you do like vampires?"  
"I wouldn't say that."  
"Oh, so you don't like them?"  
"I liked Interview," Paige answered, referring to Interview With A Vampire. "But if these things were real, we wouldn't be so enamored with them. I think it's ridiculous to regard anything, even if it's fiction, that is so obviously evil in such a glorified, tragic, human light."  
"Yes…they are tragic. Again, you don't like them?" Cordelia glanced back and caught the frowns of all four friends behind her. They didn't approve of where the conversation was going, and Angel stared at her darkly. Apparently he didn't see how this was helping him…was that a growl? Not helping at all. Cordelia sighed in apology, shrugging…what could she do? He reluctantly broke his gaze in acceptance. They made their way out to the car.  
"I guess not?" Paige said, making it questionable. "Of course…I've never met one before!" It was a bad attempt at a lame—and so out of place—joke, but Cordelia couldn't hold it against her because of the look on Angel's face. He was looking pretty crushed right about then. And pretty much pissed at her. And actually, he was coming towards her, very deliberately.  
"Oh! Tehe!" Cordelia mused, eyes widening. "That's funny. Clever…really…" Maybe if she could get in the Plymouth, she'd be safe…out of reach, or something. Cordelia started to push. "Okay. Paige. So. Get in the car."  
  
Wesley took a deep breath, briefly placing a hand on Angel's shoulder as if to say "It's just a few hours, it will be over soon" then the England native turned and headed towards Gunn's truck. Gunn chuckled and followed, and Fred followed after. They'd only gone a few paces before Cordelia turned around, saw them and practically shouted out,  
"Where are you going!"  
"There's not much room," Wesley said, eyeing the classic Plymouth. Angel had silently gone to hold the passenger's side door open for Paige and Cordelia. Paige slid in the front seat, and didn't move towards the middle. Cordelia all but shoved her.  
"THERE'S ROOM!" She said quickly. "THERE'S ROOM! Come on! Get in! You know this car seats six! Remember? Pylea? Lorne?"  
"UH, let them take Gunn's truck, Cordy." Angel said very quickly. Cordelia looked down at Paige and decided as she wore a dumb expression that she was obviously oblivious. Cordelia looked at Angel.   
"It's cool, Angel." She urged, implying so much more than anything having to do with the seating arrangements. She observed the other three friends again. "Come on guys! We're taking the same car!"  
  
At her insistence, everyone piled into the convertible.  
  
The ride to Mann's Chinese Theater wasn't as uncomfortable as everyone acted like it was. Cordelia had pressed herself into the front seat next to Paige…unfortunately pushing Paige farther into Angel, while Wesley, Fred, and Gunn, Fred in between, sat in the back.  
Angel didn't look like he was complaining, and neither did Paige. Cordelia frowned, not liking it one bit, and decided she'd have to make a little noise.   
She reached forward, making sure to elbow the "date" as she did so, and flipped on the radio. She twisted the dial up so that it was loud, and an old Aerosmith ballad (which probably only Angel would recognize…and maybe Wes or Fred if they'd ever turned on a radio in the 80's) came blaring out of the speakers. Fred barely had enough time to cover her ears before Angel flicked it off and gave Cordelia a really mean look. Cordelia got the point, and didn't mess with the car anymore. Instead, she decided to talk it up. She brought up every invasive topic she could think of until she was sure she saw Paige frowning herself.  
Angel got really upset when Cordelia asked Paige how she felt about Lawyers. Wolfram and Hart: Still a very sore spot for Angel.  
"That's enough Cordy," Angel said.  
"Oh look!" Wesley said chipperly from the backseat. "We're here!"  
The others looked up as Angel looked over and veered his car into the small parking lot next to the theater. He stopped at the gate, paid the attendant eight bucks to park, and then pulled in and settled the Plymouth into a wide space. Cordelia and Angel opened their doors near simultaneously while Wesley and Gunn climbed over the sides of the car, and helped Fred do the same. Cordelia started to hold the door for Paige, but then realized Paige had slipped out on Angel's side and was busy inspecting some smut that apparently had worked its way onto his chin. Cordelia watched as Paige licked her finger and wiped at it—'What is she, his mother?' she thought sarcastically—and…she couldn't ignore the light that lit up within Angel's face.  
  


Cordelia's gaze fell away, and she slammed the car door. The others were already on their way to the box office. Angel and Paige started to walk. Cordelia hung back, and watched Paige slip her delicate, little hand into Angel's. She supposed they did that often—'what more could Angel do besides hold hands?' she thought. When she formed a mental image, she suddenly didn't want to think past hands and so she removed the entire nasty notion from her mind. She just wouldn't acknowledge the hand holding, and everything would be okay. Cleared head and not thinking about it! Eh, it still made her cringe. The "date"… It just wasn't right.  
  
She slowly followed at the back of the group of six. They bought their tickets, and went inside. The theater wasn't crowded.  
  
"Yo, the usual?" Gunn asked, glancing at his two usual movie companions and starting towards the refreshment stand.  
"Yeah," Wesley called.  
"Don't forget the Goobers!" Fred reminded him.  
"I wouldn't forget the Goobers!" Gunn exclaimed good-naturedly. He reached the back of the line and took his place. "English, find us some seats!"  
"I'm on it!" Wesley answered, and then led Fred inside.  
"Do you want anything?" Angel asked Paige.  
"No. I'm fine. Thank you."  
"Want to go sit?"  
"Don't you want anything?"  
  


'A nice big pint of B negative,' Cordelia wanted to say. 'Nuked, with a touch of cinnamon.'  
  


"No, I'm good."  
"Then let's go sit."  
They started to go. No one had asked Cordelia if she'd wanted anything. 

Well, if no one asked, then she'd just have to tell them, now wouldn't she!  
"I want a Diet Coke." She stated.  
Angel and Paige turned slowly to regard her.   
"Then get one." Angel said precisely. Cordelia looked from Angel to Paige—smug, little…—and back to Angel again. Then she held out her hand, palm up, and gestured.  
  


With a sigh, he reached back, pulling his wallet from his back pants pocket, and handed her a twenty-dollar bill. Paige looked up at him in confusion but said nothing as he forked over the cash, then fumbled to place the wallet back in his pocket. 

  
'That's right,' Cordelia said to herself. She'd have given anything to be able to say it out loud. 'I need, he gives. Learn it, live it, fear it.' Instead she watched them retreat, and then dejectedly went to stand in line with Gunn.  
  
"You're acting crazy." He said when they were alone. Frowning, she glared up at him. "I'm just tellin' you for your own good. Angel's gonna kick your ass when we get home if you don't knock it off."  
"I'm not doing anything!"  
"'I'm not doing anything'," He mocked, and when she looked like she was about to slug him, he offered her a genuine smile. "I'm jus' teasin'. You know that."  
"Huh?" Trademark wrinkled nose-look of disgust. "What??? OH. I don't care about that,"  
"Ah, thanks." He snipped. "Then what is it? What's ruffled your feathers? Or should I say who?"  
"P—" Scowl. "Angel's "date"."  
"Could that look on your face have been any more green?"  
"I don't like her, Gunn. I just don't like her."  
"I don't think she likes you either, and I can't say that I don't blame her."  
"Really?" Surprisingly…or not…Cordelia brightened at that.  
"Nope."

They stepped forward as the short line moved up. Gunn looked at his watch, growing impatient. There was now only one couple ahead of them. How long does it take to make a bucket of corn and a couple of sodas? 

"Like I said," Gunn restated, wanting to douse any bad ideas from the start; for he knew how Cordelia thought, and he wasn't foolish enough to put anything past her…even if Angel would. "Chill out." He warned. "Angel's gonna get pissed at you if you keep antagonizing it. I know how tempting it is…being so easy and all…"  
"So it's not just me, she's dumb."  
"She's not dumb." Gunn laughed. Cordelia frowned even more. "She's just ignorant of what we are. Give her a break. She's just a normal girl."  
"Yeah, well…" She had no way to counter that. "I guess."  
"Can I help you?" The pimply adolescent cashier said from behind the counter.  
"Yo, man, three large cokes, extra large corn with butter…Oh. And a package of Goobers."  
"Can't forget those Goobers." Cordelia said glumly.  
"You want anything?" He asked, removing his wallet.  
"Nah." She held up her twenty. "Angel's paying."  
  
The previews had already started by the time Cordelia had gotten her Diet Coke. Gunn waited for her at the theater entrance with his arms full, and Cordelia elected to help him by carrying one of their spare drinks. She followed him in, carefully, as they went down the darkened aisles. After their eyes had adjusted to the dark, they spotted Fred, Wes, Angel, and…_her_…in the center aisle about fifteen rows down. Gunn walked quickly, and Cordelia kept right behind him. She didn't realize it until she'd already followed him into Fred and Wesley's row that Angel and his "date" were sitting one row back. And now as Gunn sat down, she was stuck in this row too. She passed the spare Coke to Gunn and had just started to sink into a chair when suddenly she up and decided to climb over the seat. Angel stared at her blankly and Paige looked more than surprised…maybe a little tiffed?  
  


"So what did I miss?" Cordelia asked, leaning over into Paige's personal space and directing the question more to Angel.  
"A preview." He said simply.  
"Duh. Which one."  
"I don't know. I wasn't paying attention."  
"Leave it to the social retard," It came out too fast to stop, and she noticed Paige tense up…offensively.  
"It was for an art film," Paige said shortly. "You probably wouldn't have cared for it."  
Cordelia processed that twice before deciding to take it as an insult.  
"What's THAT supposed to mean?"   
And then she noticed Angel had his arm around the little...  
"You've got mine!" Gunn said, turning back and switching their Cokes. "This one's diet!"

Cordelia went through the motions of handing his back but wasn't paying attention and almost spilled it.  
"The movie's starting!" Fred scolded, spinning in her chair to regard the escalating tension behind her. Cordelia was about to say something more, but Wesley also turned around, and catching sight of her, shook his head ever so slightly.  
'Bad idea, Cordy. BAAD idea.'  
Cordelia clammed up. She leaned back in her seat, and watched the movie over the top of Gunn's bald head. Lucky for her, he slouched through most of it… Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to watch all the Angel, Spike and Drusilla wanna-bes on screen.   
  
It was a long, long movie.


	4. 

The Date rachel peek Normal rachel peek 2 38 2001-11-10T08:03:00Z 2001-11-10T08:03:00Z 4 3076 17536 146 35 21535 9.2720 

Title: **The Date** (4)  
Author: Rachel 

Email: rachelfromihj@hotmail.com  
Homepages: Rach's Stuff and Under A Blue Night

Rating: PG 13  
Summary: Cordelia doesn't know what to think when Angel suddenly starts dating.

Dedication: To Angel and Cordelia, and all those C/A shipper fans out there for taking the long road! It's gonna happen eventually!  
Distribute: Take it, please!  
Written: On a whim, started September 5, 2001

Takes place: 2002.  
  


  
"That was a really good interpretation," Fred said, impressed by the film.  
"It was," The "date" agreed. Cordelia said nothing.  
  
Coming out of the theater, she'd seen more hand holding and even a chaste kiss when Paige had risen on her tip toes and planted one on Angel's cheek as a 'thank you' for the movie. Oh, it was endearing enough. Angel had turned a nice shade of less pale and Paige had given him the lovey-dovey doe eyes. And for a moment, Angel had even forgotten the trouble that Cordelia had caused earlier. It was clear that he was becoming more and more interested in this Paige. Cordelia was just waiting for the next opportunity to bring that idea down…  
  


"Why don't I drop you guys back at the hotel, and then I can take Paige home…or wherever." 

The 'wherever' part had been a hint. And it was a plea not lost on the others. Angel glanced back through the car at his friends and they nodded in agreement. He cast a painful glance in Cordelia's direction but met Paige's instead, and somehow she, even in the cramped conditions, managed to somehow snuggle closer to him.  
"Sounds like a good idea to me," She said. Angel was obviously pleased. But Cordelia frowned. She hadn't agreed to any of this.  
"Why don't we go to Caritas?" She blurted, stirring a hiss, a gasp, a cough, and a growl from the car…and also the inevitable 'What's Caritas?', the later of course being from the "date".   
"Caritas is sort of our hang out!" Cordelia chirped. Gunn kicked the back of Cordelia's seat so hard, she fell forward. "Hey! Watch the seats!" She snipped. Gunn was about to retort, but the damage was already done. The seed had been planted, Paige looked curious.  
"I don't think I've ever been there. Where's it at?"  
Paige looked over at Angel, as did Cordelia, though Cordelia's look was laced with a very nasty spite. Surprising to one, and not so surprising to the other, the girls found that Angel had gone completely stony. He worked hard at focusing his attention on the traffic, and only the traffic, ahead of them on the road and on nothing else…least of all the insane need to thoroughly strangle Cordelia right now. Cordelia's grin faltered just the slightest…it was clear that Angel was near his boiling point.  
"It's kind of…out of the way," Cordy went on, words spoken slower, more precise. For a second, Angel thought she had come to her senses and was trying to undo Paige's interest. Cordelia watched Angel's face intently—she didn't want to blow the whole surprise in one sentence. No way, this had to last the rest of the night. With a Chesire grin, she finished, "Our friend, Lorne, that I mentioned, he runs it! He's a hoot! You sooo have to meet him!"  
"Cordy!" Angel growled.  
"What?" She whined.   
Angel's voice was direct and taught, each word stressed,

"Paige doesn't want to go to Caritas."  
"Pft, Angel! EVERYONE wants to go to Caritas! It's like the MOST happenin' place in LA!"  
"Cordy," His tone was getting there. "Cordy," He tried a little lighter. "Caritas isn't the kind of place—"  
"Angel," Paige said hopefully. "It sounds kind of fun. I'd like to go!"  
  
The horror in his eyes.  
  
"NO." Angel said most indefinitely. "It's not…" She stared over at him. "Fun." 

She didn't understand! She didn't...she wouldn't…vamps, demons, Lorne, green… He elaborated.

"It's just a…bar. It's…dark. Usually crowded. Loud. Very, very loud. Not exactly the type of…crowd…you're used to. Lots of…undesirable…types. Scary. Types. And… And… And…" None of this was getting through to her, and he blurted disdainfully, "And they have karaoke!"   
"I LOVE KARAOKE." The new girl said.  
"OH MY GOD, You do???" Cordelia had more than squealed. Angel looked like he was about to vomit…or combust. "Funny…" The unstoppable Seer chattered on. "Definitely something you and Angel here DO NOT have in common. Angel can't stand karaoke. He has this phobia about it, god, he's such a wuss!" She reached past Paige and punched Angel in the shoulder. When he glanced in her direction, his eyes flared yellow. Cordelia didn't mind. "God, we have to DRAG him on the stage to get him to do anything…Hey, Paige! Did you know Angel likes Barry Manilow!"

Paige stared at him in shock.   
  
Angel had never wanted to die more in his life. He felt the stake hidden within his jacket and seriously considered it just then…   
  
"BARRY MANILOW?" Paige exclaimed, bursting into laughter. "I had no idea! What a surprise!"  
"There are lots of surprising things you don't know about Angel," Cordelia hinted, eyes darkening, "Maybe tonight we can fix that."  
"I'd love to go to this Caritas." Paige said, utterly amused. "Barry Manilow…this I've got to see." 

  
Whatever Cordelia was trying to do, she was sure doing one hell of a job. Enough to make Angel temporarily suicidal. He started to go for the stake.

  
But then the "date" took her finger and ran it around the edge of Angel's ear as if the idea of him singing Barry Manilow had been the sexiest thing she'd ever heard of. Cordelia frowned and Angel suddenly stopped frowning. In fact, he looked downright sheepish…and disturbingly, enthralled. Paige's finger left his ear lobe, and with a slightly shy grin and a flame of her cheeks, she leaned her head against his shoulder and laughed. Glancing down at her, Angel suddenly transformed back into cool and collected…as if he'd suddenly settled into his lax human skin. The tension in his body immediately ceased. He sat back in his seat; the "date's" head bobbing lustfully against his shoulder. Angel smiled. Snorted a laugh even.  
  
Cordelia could tell by the look on his big, dumb vampire face that whatever she'd been able to mess up…Paige had somehow just fixed.   
  
"I don't know if they're open tonight," Wesley tried in a somewhat strangled voice. Someone had to stop the madness. And it was a good effort. But Cordelia had set forth something in motion that could not be stopped. She didn't know what the hell was going on in Angel's head, but she couldn't imagine what he thought was going to happen once they reached Caritas and the "date" waltzed in to the club expecting it to be just like any other club she'd ever been to. Cordelia couldn't wait to see the expression on her big, stupid, cutesy face when she realized she was standing knee deep in a room full of other-worldly weirdos. And Cordelia caught herself dreaming of the moment the "date" realized that Angel was one of those weirdos. She'd probably scream and run!

  
Cordelia grinned. She could stand to see that. She pounced on Wes; no way was Wes of all people dissuading this opportunity! NO WAY! It just had to happen…  
"They're open like every night Wesley." She stung. "You KNOW that."  
"Nuh uh!"  
"Oh yes huh! Jeez! You're so full of crap!"  
"Well," Feeling foolish, he grumbled, glaring at her from the backseat. "Perhaps they'll be closed tonight."   
"Maybe," Fred tried. And Gunn,  
"Yo, they closed."  
But Cordelia ignored them all. 

"Come on, Angel…Let's go to Caritas. Let Paige here meet our friend, Lorne."  
  


It was a dare. And when Paige said, "Please?" Angel found himself out of options. He turned at the next right and headed reluctantly towards the club. He was going to kill Cordelia, he wasn't sure when or how or just how long he would take in doing it, but he was going to do it, and he was going to enjoy it, dammit! Just as much as she was enjoying killing him right now…  
Plans for Cordelia were put on hold as Paige again rested her lovely head against his shoulder. He turned to stare down into her innocent green eyes. Everything else suddenly got fuzzy. He felt the knot in his stomach harden as his anxiety swelled.   
  
Angel had never feared karaoke so much in his life.   
  
The singing, and Paige's realization of what he was, to come…  
  
"HEY THERE, GORGEOUS!" Lorne, Karaoke singing Demon Host of Caritas, squealed with delight as the group entered the club. It was a little crowded. Lots of warm, green bodies everywhere. "Hello, hello! Kisses please!" He waltzed right up to Cordelia and they hugged, kissing each other on the cheek lightly. The Host was dressed to a T in a silk burgundy leisure suit and gold lamiae lounge shirt that accented his features perfectly, and Cordelia complimented him on it. She adjusted the silken scarf tied about his neck, and he grinned. "Thanks, doll. I just picked it up at Lucy's Vintage Duds."  
"What is this?" Paige asked slowly, looking around at all the strange oddities—demons, vampires, things she couldn't even name—and a couple of middle aged barflies at the counter.   
Angel's cold heart caught in his throat and he waited for her to freak. They all did, in fact. Even Lorne as he turned to regard the newest addition to the group.   
"Is this…costume night? Or something?" She asked.  
"Yes!" Wesley laughed quickly, encouraging the others to do the same.  
"Yeah, they do this…every now and then," Gunn tried, less convincingly. Fred grabbed his arm, them now knee-deep in lies, and started to tug. "Let's just find a table, please."  
"Wow. Great costume!" Paige piped, checking out Lorne's horns and beady, red eyes. "You look…almost real!" She reached out to touch a horn and Lorne jumped back.  
"Uh, no touchy-feely, please! These things take forever to…position…right. And I wouldn't want one of them to snap off or anything! Hehehe!"   
Angel regarded him an appreciative nod. Lorne winked in his direction, and Paige seemed to immediately feel at home.   
"My name is Lorne, and I am at your service," He took her hand and bowed to kiss it. "You extremely, beautiful, lovely, young thing, you!"  
"Thanks," She smiled. "My name is Paige."  
"And what a lovely name!"  
"She's Angel's "date"." Cordelia said blandly.   
Lorne glanced up at the big guy in awe. The smirk that crossed his lips caused more anxiety in Angel. Questions would be asked…later, but they'd be asked. Angel didn't really feel like giving full disclosure at the moment…  
"Well, well, well! I bet there's a story to be told there!" The Host chimed.  
"Oh, there is," Cordelia promised him. She cocked her head at Angel. "We should let Paige tell us the whole story over a round of Sea Breezes."  
"That sounds like a fabulous plan! Give me a minute to clear a big table, I'll be right back!" Lorne scuttled off into the crowd, calling his headwaiter, Sergio.  
"This place looks really cool!" Paige said excitedly, taking everything in. A seven foot tall Lanatnae Demon was at the mic doing a decent rendition of The Monkee's "Last Train To Clarksville".  
"Uh, yeah," Angel said worriedly. "It is."  
She slipped her hand into his and held it until Lorne came back.  
"Follow me, my friends, follow me!"  
  
"So Paige, are you gonna dazzle us with a number?" Lorne asked hopefully. "Oh!" She laughed uncomfortably. "I don't know. Maybe, I'm not that good."  
He could care less about her quality! He was dying to read her, "I hope so! I'd love to see you up there!"  
She was scrunched in between Angel and Gunn. Fred sat next to Gunn, then Wesley, and around the table, Cordelia and The Host. Cordelia had long ago gone silent; she chewed on her straw. She kept glancing up to catch Angel staring at her. She'd look away, not because it was a threatening look, but because it was a scared, pitiful look. She couldn't help but feel guilty.   
  
Somehow, in that persuasive manner that Lorne just happened to be gifted with, he talked the "date" into getting up on stage and doing a little number, and to Cordelia's great amusement, she sucked! Sugar Pie Honey Bunch had never sounded worse!  
  
Paige looked silly. She worked up this _completely_ off beat, and she gripped the microphone tight enough to make her knuckles go white. At first Cordelia didn't think she'd finish. Maybe it wouldn't take finding out about Angel's vamp status to send her running to the hills. Maybe just a bad case of stage fright, accompanied by a little heckling…  
Cordelia shouted, 

"Don't quit your day job!"  
"Don't do that!" Angel snapped. It was the first time he'd talked to her since they'd entered the bar.  
Paige went on, shaking like a leaf.  
_"Sugar pie honey bunch, you know that I love you, love you…I can't help myself…I love you and nobody else,"_  
  
And for some reason, the audience loved her.   
  
Any performance by a pretty girl, whether they could sing or not…no one ever booed. In fact everyone clapped. Everyone sang along and laughed and had a good time. Angel was smiling way too often. Even from where she sat, Cordelia could feel the pulse coming off the stage from Paige and transcending to Angel. She watched him…then Paige…then Angel again.   
Paige started to loosen up about half way through.  
  
She strutted around, swinging the microphone, voice wailing like that of a dying cat. Cordelia frowned. When it was all over, Paige got a standing ovation…something about pretty girls making a fool of themselves over the karaoke machine…they could do no wrong.  
  
Cordelia found herself feeling lower and lower. She felt like Julia Roberts in My Best Friend's Wedding. Paige was definitely the Cameron Diaz type…or Denise Richards, because of her big, white teeth, long shimmery hair and dimple, if Denise Richards had been in that movie.   
  
Cordelia feigned a smile. She could be Julia Roberts. Julia Roberts was an adored actress. A respected Academy Award winner. Julia Roberts had been closer to the guy, his best friend, so Cordelia felt on the up.   
  
But, wait! How did that movie end???  
  
Paige finished the set and came to edge of the stage where Angel was waiting. When had he gotten up??? They were both laughing, heartily. And looking around, Cordelia saw that so was everyone else. Gunn, Wes, Fred…strangers, everyone. Everyone was thrilled. Everyone except for her.   
  
Paige said something to Angel—something too low for anyone else to hear—that brought an even bigger smile to his face. Cordelia had never seen him smile more. The way he was looking at Paige…

He stepped towards her. She touched his shoulders. He slid his hands over her waist to lift her down from the stage. She wrapped her arms around him. She kissed him. He kissed her back. 

Cordelia's chest hurt as she watched it all in slow motion. She watched Angel kiss Paige back, again and again—music blasting in the background, people laughing and talking and clapping still, the lights flashing red, blue, purple and yellow over them…   
  
In a kiss, Cordelia had lost Angel.  
  
"Don't look so sad," A friendly voice lulled her from her daze. She felt the green hand on her shoulder and looked over into empathetic red eyes. Lorne was smiling at her, the only one in the entire room paying any attention to her. She tried to smile back, but her eyes had begun to sting, and tears welled.  
"What do I do?" She questioned.  
"Dry your eyes." He answered gently.  
"And then what?"  
"Nothing…you can't do anything."  
  
She stared into his ruby red peepers, devastated. He passed her a napkin, then slowly got up. Patting her shoulder, he started towards the stage. He had a job to do, the show must go on…Cordy was on her own.  
  
Amongst the roar of the Caritas patrons Cordelia felt lost. Lorne tapped the mic, thanked Paige for her "wonderful" performance, and then went on in introducing the next performer.   
"I'm going to the ladies room," Cordelia announced softly. She gathered her jacket, slipping it on quickly, and rose from her chair. Wes and Gunn hadn't even heard her. They continued jiving and paid attention to the stage. Fred turned, though, and stared up at her. "The ladies room." Cordelia repeated again, pointing to the back of the bar. Fred's eyes followed her gesture, and she nodded in understanding.  
'Want company?' She mouthed. 

'No.' Cordelia mouthed back, shaking her head regretfully. Fred nodded, and Cordelia walked away.  
  


Fred watched her go. She was good at watching, and she'd watched from day one. They may not have known it, but she knew a lot more about her friends then they'd guess. A lot more.  
Fred thought about following Cordelia, but as Angel and Paige made their way back to the table and Paige started chatting away excitedly, Cordelia had disappeared. Fred kept a vigilant watch for her return, but after a few moments had passed, when Angel finally questioned Cordelia's sudden absence, Fred decided to save face.  
"Cordelia felt sick. She went home. Don't worry. She'll be okay."  
  
Cordelia leaned against the wall in the alley and cried for a few minutes before wiping her face and taking out her cell phone to call a cab.  
She didn't know why she was crying. She didn't know why she was in the alley. She only knew that she was, and as Lorne had said, there was nothing that she could do about it.  
  
She dialed 411 and waited for an operator. She got transferred to Yellow Cab, and gave the dispatcher the address. She put her phone away and took out her compact.  
Her eyes were red and her cheeks slightly wet, but overall, she looked pretty much okay. She was wearing waterproof mascara, so no raccoon eyes at the moment. Give her a few more hours though, she thought, a few good hours of good, hard bawling…raccoon eyes were inevitable. No mascara could resist that.  
  
Wiping her face one more time, choking back the hurt, she put away her compact and raised her head high. She was Cordelia Chase after all. Nothing so silly as a kiss would make her fall to pieces. She ventured out to the sidewalk to wait in front of the club. A few impatient moments later the cab found her, and climbing in, Cordy gave the driver the directions to her apartment. The car pulled from the curb and merged with traffic. They caught the green light and Cordelia was on her way.  
  
From the shadows near the side entrance, Angel watched in complete silence. He didn't move until the cab turned the corner, out of sight. Still, he stayed in the shadows, thinking pensively.   
  


"There you are," A lazy voice said. He turned and regarded Paige, grinning profusely as she leaned against the doorframe. She came forward and him with a kiss. "Your friends are waiting, what are you doing out here?"  
"Getting some air," He took a deep breath.  
"Is everything okay?" She smiled still, holding his hand between her warm palms.  
"Sure." He lied.  
"Well come back inside. You've got to sing for me."  
"Uh, no,"  
"Angel!" She flirted shamelessly. She pressed her cheek into his shoulder, batting her lashes and using all of her feminine charms. "Angel, come on!"  
"Uh, no, Paige."  
"Come on. We can sing together. It will be fun."  
"I don't think so."  
"Pllleeeaaasssseeee?"  
He grinned then, slipping his arm around her and led her back to the door. "I tell you what, how about you sing again, and I watch. That was fun before, huh? I'm sure it will be fun again."  
"You are a big wuss!" She teased, socking him lightly in the arm. "Cordelia was right! You're petrified, aren't you!"  
"A little."  
"ONLY a little?"   
"Okay. A lot."  
"Wow, Cordelia knows you all too well."  
"That she does."  
"And…do I have to worry about that?"  
"What?"  
"I said do I have to worry about that?"  
Angel turned to regard his "date" carefully.  
"What do you mean?"  
Her tone had said it all, yet Paige seemed to dance around the implication. She shrugged, swaying her hair across her shoulders. She was trying to play it cool.

"You tell me. What does that mean to you?"

Angel looked shell shocked.  
"Are you're asking if me and Cordy—"  
"I'm just asking if there's anything I should be worried about."  
"Yes." Angel answered truthfully. He took his hand back and slipped it into a pocket. "Yes. There's something you should be worried about."   
Paige's eyes widened at this. That hadn't been the reaction she'd been expecting.  
"But it's not why you think." He clarified. "It's nothing like you're thinking."  
  
She stared at him silently, and Angel waited for a sign to continue. He didn't know why, but he was suddenly ready to spill everything. He didn't know exactly how, but he suddenly wanted it off of his chest. All consequences aside, he wanted to tell her the truth…if not for her sake, for his own. He was ready to reveal all, demon side and prophecy.  
"Let's just forget about it." Paige shrugged suddenly, sinking back into a demure demeanor. She wrapped her fingers around his massive arm. "We can talk about it later. Let's just go back and have fun."  
"But Paige—"  
"Shh." She held a polished finger up to his lips. "Whatever it is, it can wait." Then she smiled devilishly. "Who knows…maybe we could talk about it over breakfast…if things turn out, that is."  
He could feel the warmth of her breath, hear the rate of her heart speed up, see the flush on her cheeks at her somewhat bold suggestion. She took her finger away, and backed slowly into the club. She was a beautiful, sexy girl. And she wanted him. This, now, was clear.  
  


Angel stared after her painfully.


	5. 

The Date rachel peek Normal rachel peek 2 200 2001-11-10T08:03:00Z 2001-11-10T08:03:00Z 2 2353 13415 111 26 16474 9.2720 

Title: **The Date** (5)  
Author: Rachel 

Email: rachelfromihj@hotmail.com  
Homepages: Rach's Stuff and Under A Blue Night

Rating: PG 13  
Summary: Cordelia doesn't know what to think when Angel suddenly starts dating.

Dedication: To Angel and Cordelia, and all those C/A shipper fans out there for taking the long road! It's gonna happen eventually!  
Distribute: Take it, please!  
Written: On a whim, started September 5, 2001

Takes place: 2002.

Cordelia hadn't been asleep for more than twenty minutes when a harsh pounding roused her back awake.

"Ah, whaaat now?" She whined, quickly throwing back the covers and jumping out of bed. Slipping on her terrycloth robe, she took a chance and glanced at the clock. With a cringe and a grumble, she marched out into the living room ready to swing the door open wide. She had a good idea of who it was barging in at the late hour. It wasn't just anyone who would come banging on her door at 3 am…

Lamps came to life one by one as she crossed the floor. If she weren't in such a state, she'd have at least nodded a thanks to her ghost. But as it was, Cordelia wasn't in the mood to deal with ANYTHING. And so Dennis went un-thanked. After a night like this, he'd expected it though, and his feelings weren't hurt…that much.

As she reached the door, her chest heaved in silent anticipation and she grasped the doorknob with a hard grip. This night definitely already fit into the crappiest of crap category, one of the top five worst nights of her entire existence… So what was one more run in with Angel going to do? What did she have to lose? She scowled, scratched her head, and then when another fierce knock made her jump, she decided to peer out the peephole.

You never know, it's possible it _could be_ a burglar…

"Cordelia, open up." 

Angel's voice broke through the wood grain—low and deep, and commanding. She contemplated not even opening the door at all. Maybe if she didn't, he'd just go away— 

"I can hear your heartbeat. I know you're there so open the door."

"Uh." She rolled her eyes but did as he asked—or not asked actually, but demanded. She didn't even have time to invite him in—not that it mattered, one invite was enough and he'd have forever and a day to come and go as he pleased—when he strode in past her, in a rush into her apartment. A veil of dew resting in drops across his leather jacket—it must be drizzling out—and there was a hard, steely toughness consuming his face. Cordelia bit down on her lip.

"Explain something to me," He demanded fiercely, quickly turning on her as she took a moment to push the door closed. His close proximity surprised her when she faced him, and she flinched, falling back against the door with a squeal. Angel halted and swore regretfully under his breath. He respectively backed up a few paces. 

He went silent, but continued to gaze at her though, unwavering and waiting…and he even started to pace a bit, with out much patience.

"W-what?" She asked flatly. She would've succeeded in sounding indifferent if her voice hadn't cracked, but as her luck would have it, it cracked, and Cordelia's deck was blown wide open. She couldn't hide her anxiety if her life depended on it! Besides…really didn't matter what came out of her mouth, Angel could _smell_ her fear.

He hadn't meant to scare her though. But he was so damn mad…

"Tonight," He growled.

Cordelia waited for further prompting, but guessed she wouldn't be getting it. So she looked away, shrugging in the manner she'd used too many times as a teen when her father had caught her sneaking in during early morning hours, and had demanded to know where she'd been all night. She mumbled in the same begrudging half-whisper, "I don't know."

She'd meant it to sound incoherent.

"What do you mean you don't know?" He snapped. 

Guess it wasn't as incoherent as she'd hoped— 

"I don't know, Angel." She repeated in a lost, little girl voice. Her eyes finally rose to meet his, and she'd really wished she hadn't because he was really angry, angrier than she'd seen him in a long, long time. And aside from the fact that he was doing the crazed-Angel-pacing dance, she could tell he was doing his best to keep his composure. He trembled with violence, at least in her eyes he did, and Cordelia found herself backing up as close to the door as she could get, even though she knew, or at least she hoped she knew, that he would never physically harm her. Not as Angel anyway. Angelus was a whole other story—

Cordelia's eyes went wide.

What if this _were_ Angelus? What if he… What if Angel and Paige _had_… And then _he'd_… And then _she'd… _

Oh, why in the hell had she opened that door! She gulped, hard; heart fluttering wildly like the wings of a rabid butterfly, as she froze like that of a deer caught in headlights.

Angel watched her go completely still. Statuesque. And he suddenly realized that she was terrified. His eyes narrowed and a low growl emitted from his throat. He hadn't meant to let it out, but he was frustrated.

Cordelia winced, tensing, expecting a strike. But then he did something that surprised her; he stopped his pacing, took an intimate step forward and peered gently into her eyes. She was reluctant, but he made her look into his eyes, into his face. He made her look deep, and with that look he proved that it was he, and not his deadly counterpart unsheathed on the world, standing there before her as his hardened expression was replaced with softened confusion and pain. With the realization of what had been racing through her head, something else arose in his face, too, something else far too familiar—Pure guilt.

"I'm sorry," He whispered. "Please don't be afraid. I didn't mean to scare you, barging in like this."

Cordelia felt her body fighting to breathe and she suddenly remembered to exhale. It came out a sigh. A deep, relieved sigh. And slowly her muscles relaxed enough to allow her body to sag against the doorframe. Angel looked away and Cordelia smiled grimly. He really hadn't meant to scare her, and Cordelia appreciated that.

When they were a safe distance apart, Angel asked her again.

"Just tell me why. Tell me something… Let me understand why you did what you did. Give me a clue, Cordy. Give me a chance to understand your reasoning behind this…insane, bizarre, selfish craziness that you've been acting out." When he looked up at her again, he looked exasperated. "At least…at least say you're sorry, for making me so crazy!" 

Actually, Cordelia thought. He looked like her were about to cry.

Cordelia managed to unclench her fingers from their tight, little fists and she took a shaky step towards him. Her bare feet barely made a sound on the cold tiles, and as a chill shimmied up her spine, she really wished she'd remembered to put on her bunny slippers before going to the door. Maybe bunny slippers would have appeared endearing to the big, unstable vampire…maybe. Perhaps one look at them and he wouldn't be so angry anymore…maybe he'd be so consumed with how cute they looked that he wouldn't be pissed.

YEAH RIGHT.

Glancing at his face, she knew nothing could save her now, especially not some stupid bunny slippers.

It was explanation time:

"Angel…I am sorry. I'm sorry I've been acting so weird about…this."

"And _why_ have you been acting so weird?"

"Because you've been acting so weird."

"ME?"

"Yes, you! You've been behaving completely bizarro over this dumb girl, Paige!"

"She's not dumb," He warned.

"She's not exactly smart,"

"Cordelia!"

"She's so…goody-goody! And sweet. And she just seems so…ditzy!"

"Cordelia! She's not—! She's a normal girl—"

"It's not like she's all super intelligent. She's not exactly a rocket scientist or anything."

"Cordelia, I don't know anybody who's a rocket scientist."

"Well…Fred comes pretty close."

"CORDELIA!"

"ANGEL!!!"

_"CORDELIA!!!"_

"ANGEL!!!" 

He stared at her hard, his edge coming back in a dangerous might, nostrils flaring. Cordelia swallowed hard, but her nostrils were starting to flare too, and she suddenly remembered that Angel wasn't the only one with something to be angry about.

"Cordelia! Why the hell are you being sooo…so completely… UGH!" Angel threw his hands up, running one through his hair in frustration—angering it and causing it to be more disheveled then was normal for his style. It'd have looked cute, if she didn't feel so threatened right now. Cordelia pouted and crossed her arms.

"So _ugh-what_ exactly?"

"SO IMPOSSIBLE."

"Me, IMPOSSIBLE? For the last few weeks you've been playing with fire! And I've warned you! Tried talking to you! But you wouldn't even hear it!"

"You haven't _talked_ to me about anything!"

"I SO have!"

"You have not! All you've done is act like a brat! Making nasty little comments, and throwing glares… And tonight. Tonight you were completely out of line!"

"ME? OUT OF LINE?"

"Yes!"

"NO! YOU WERE OUT OF LINE, MISTER! Hugging and kissing on that…that…_GIRL!"_

"She has a name, and her name is Paige!"

"I know what her stupid name is!"

"Then use it! And stop talking about her like she's not good enough for you. You don't even know her,"

"I don't _want_ to know her,"

"Stop calling her names!"

"I never—!!!" 

"JEZEBEL???" He ripped. "_Remember?_ I heard that, Cordy. I can only imagine what you say when I'm not around…"

"You hear everything, don't you!" She snapped sarcastically.

"Yes. I hear EVERYTHING." He pointed at his ear. "It's not like I can help it! If I could tune you out, most of the time I would! Believe me!

Cordelia pressed her lips into a thin line.

"And I even asked you!" Angel went on. "I asked you to be nice to her! To give her a chance! You promised!"

"Well, that's before I knew how involved things were between the two of you!"

"And what's wrong with being involved!"

"ANGEL! Does DUH mean anything to you at all!" Cordelia glared at him like he was crazy. "DUH? Angel? _DUH?_ Ring a bell??? I know I've said it enough times on this subject, Angel! I know you haven't already forgotten the meaning of _DUH!_"

"Cordy," Angel hissed, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. "Just stop it! Really. Just stop!"

"You stop!" She dared ruefully. "You stop, Angel! You're the one that's doing something he shouldn't be doing! Angel, you have no business seeing this girl! No business dating! Have you honestly forgotten about the curse? I mean, GOD! Are you that blinded by her big boobs and perfect, apple-shaped ASS that you've forgotten about the curse! Tell me you haven't!"

"I'm not—I'm not blinded by her…her…" Angel's face went flush. "…_ass._"

"_I'll ignore that you're not disputing the boob thing!_ SO THEN WHAT IS IT Angel? It SURE AS HELL CAN'T BE HER SPARKLING PERSONALITY!"

Angel huffed. 

"Maybe she's just a nice girl, Cordy!"

"_Nice. Nice._" She mimicked disgustedly. "Nice is one thing, Angel. But you find her ATTRACTIVE!"

"I have never treated you the way you treated me tonight. Never—what's wrong with attractive!"

"Maybe that's because I'm not you, and you're not me!"

"I'd never treat you like that, PERIOD."

"If I were cursed with a clause, a SEVERE clause like what you've got going, and I started doing things that might jeopardize my family, WE ARE FAMILY, AREN'T WE?"

"Of course we are!"

"Then you're telling me you wouldn't do a damn thing about it?" She peered at him skeptically. "You're telling me you'd stand back and say and do nothing! You'd let me risk it. Risk it all! On some stupid, temporary FLING! You're telling me you'd do that—"

"Maybe she's not a fling! Maybe she's more important than that!"

"Oh, yeah! Like what? Maybe you want to be her boyfriend? Maybe you want to have a relationship with her???"

"Maybe."

"That's laughable, Angel! Completely laughable!"

"WELL MAYBE I'M IN LOVE WITH HER! DID YOU EVEN CONSIDER THAT?"

"I'M SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE—Wait! What do you mean?" Cordelia fell back a step, her eyes suddenly widening. "What do you mean, _'maybe you're in love with her'?_" 

Angel didn't answer. He stood there, rigid, fuming, hard. 

"Angel?" She repeated fiercely. "Angel, what do you mean!" And then Cordelia started to tremble. With fury. 

Angel remained silent, his jaw taught, teeth grinding as she approached him.

"Tell me what you meant! She rasped, eyes burning. Angel stared down into her, cold and mean, and didn't budge as she came to invade his personal space—nose to chin. Mere inches apart, he was close enough to taste the sweetness of her breath, and close enough to smell the tears ready to fall.

It was a stand off, and neither seemed ready to fall back. But after a moment, Angel finally did. He looked away, shamefully, and Cordelia felt herself falling apart inside.

"You...you love her?" She repeated.

He seemed to hesitate, and she felt her insides turn against her as her heart, and guts, and earlier meal seemed to leap into her throat. Through what could only be described as sheer control, Cordelia did not throw up right there. Instead she quivered. "Angel…d-do you?"

"No." He said finally, turning back to stare at her. He yielded his gaze only slightly, looking more disappointed than anything. "But if I did," He went on. "Would it have even made a difference?"

An uncomfortable silence filled the air, and Cordelia's responses fell numb. Angel, whether taking her silence as some sort of infinite answer she couldn't be sure, at that point decided to leave. 

She was dumbstruck as he walked passed her towards the door; her feet firmly planted where she stood, her mouth dry, tongue repressed. She could barely move her head to watch him go.

She wanted to shout, "NO, STAY! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" but her body wouldn't let her. She wanted to move, block his exit, throw herself at his feet, wrap her arms around his legs and hold him here if she had to and beg him not to go, explain everything, fix this before it went any further… But her mind kept her stalling where she was.

Finally, as he reached the door, he turned one last time to regard his silent Seer.

"You hurt me, Cordelia. You embarrassed me. And you broke your promise. I…I don't know why. I can only imagine… But I want you to know…I want to say one thing. I would never, ever, have let you down the way you let me down tonight. I would never have intentionally done something like that to you…

"Think about it, will you? Think about what that means. And when you're ready," He swallowed. "I'd like you to explain it to me. Really explain it. Tell me the truth. And then maybe we can move past this. 

"But if you can't do that, then…well…"

He never finished his sentence.

Instead, he shook his head and slipped away, and Cordelia began to tremble. When the sound of the door swinging shut finally reached her ears, it was like a magic spell had been broken, a timer going off, and she finally regained use of her limbs. She winced, testing her voice and found it still available in her throat. With a cry, she crossed the tile quickly, and threw open the door. 

"Angel???"

But the hallway was empty. Angel was already gone.

She stared at the empty hallway, considered getting dressed and following him—or not even bothering to dress, just following him.

But Her fatigue won out. She closed the door, leaning against it as she locked it tight and took a moment to compose herself. When she finally could move again, she headed slowly back to her bedroom. When the lights continued to glow, she took it as a sign that Dennis was hiding. 

She couldn't blame him, not in the least, what with the air being so charged with negative energies—a piece of Angel's beige aura still hanging around with Cordelia's emotions thrown into the mix. Being that he lived on an energy plane, this was clearly not the best environment for a ghost.

She stopped at each lamp to turn them off, throwing the room into absolute darkness. She made it into her bedroom and slammed the door shut behind her. Flinging off her robe, and falling into bed, she prayed for sleep to come quickly. She couldn't deal with lying awake all night and thinking about this. She couldn't, no, not at all. Eventually her prayers were answered because her eyes finally closed and she finally drifted off. 

It was sometime after 4 AM.


	6. 

The Date rachel peek Normal rachel peek 2 152 2001-11-10T08:04:00Z 2001-11-10T08:04:00Z 2 2269 12937 107 25 15887 9.2720 

Title: **The Date** (6)  
Author: Rachel 

Email: rachelfromihj@hotmail.com  
Homepages: Rach's Stuff and Under A Blue Night

Rating: PG 13  
Summary: Cordelia doesn't know what to think when Angel suddenly starts dating.

Dedication: To Angel and Cordelia, and all those C/A shipper fans out there for taking the long road! It's gonna happen eventually!  
Distribute: Take it, please!  
Written: On a whim, started September 5, 2001

Takes place: 2002.

Angel hadn't meant to slam the car door so hard, but he nearly took it off the hinges and caused the driver's side mirror to crack. 7 years bad luck, the superstitious would say. But what was to be said about the last 248 years? That'd have been 34.8 mirrors, and somehow he knew he hadn't ever broken that many…had he? Maybe about 20. But 34? And .8??? Clearly he'd been swindled!

He blew out a hard, unnecessary breath, and glaring into the glass so painfully empty of his reflection, he chose to just ignore it. He'd have Gunn stop at the automotive store tomorrow to have it replaced, and the door wasn't dangling or anything…if anything, a few screws would have to be tightened…or replaced…and either way, it was his car! He could do what he wanted to it! If he wanted to kick in the headlights, he would!

He was tempted, but he didn't. Instead he stomped to the front door, dug his keys out of his pocket, and went inside. The air outside was misty and black and eerily quiet…it did nothing to calm his nerves. Inside, at least he had Fred upstairs asleep, and Wesley's clutter about the office, and Gunn's weapons left lying about haplessly, and Cordelia's…

He crossed the lobby to her desk and picked up the pair of gold hoop earrings she'd left laying there for the last few days. Crushing them into his hand, he growled, and then really crushed them, and looked awkwardly in trouble when he realized he'd bent them into an unfixable mess. After a few seconds of working at twisting them back into circles, he gave up and tossed them into the trash bin. He'd buy her another, more durable pair later. Right now, all he wanted to do was hate her.

If that was even possible.

He slumped down into her chair and thought about what had happened that night.

_Her face._ The smell of her in the air as she stood waiting for her cab. She'd been crying. He hadn't been sure at first, when he'd found her frantically pushing buttons on her cell phone. But after listening to her shaky voice sound off directions to Caritas into the receiver, he'd known. He'd known she was crying, but he didn't do anything about it.

She was crying, and perhaps it confused him as much as it had her. She'd ran out in such a hurry…

He knew why. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out…just a dumb vamp. He'd been kissing Paige. Kissing her. A lot. And as good as it felt to be able to do that, it wasn't worth it when he found his Seer had run out on them. He was just glad she hadn't gotten further than the parking lot when he found her. As upset as she'd apparently been, she still had sense enough not to take off to the street alone. Angel was glad for that. He didn't want Cordelia out there, alone. Not at all.

And so he unknowingly waited with her as she waited for the cab.

Letting her get into the cab alone had been easier than dealing with Paige afterwards.

Paige was…well, obviously she was a very pretty girl, that was for sure. And as Cordelia had accused, she had a nice…_figure._ Any man with eyes could see that. Well, Angel had eyes. And besides that, she was nice. And smart, regardless of what Cordelia thought. She was ignorant, yes, of course, to the many atrocities that Angel knew all to well. But then that was the point of it, wasn't it?

She represented everything he couldn't have and then some. But he did have it. When he was kissing her, he had it. She was innocent, and made him feel a little innocent, too. And kissing her had been like… 

Like kissing a stranger, to tell the truth. 

They'd kissed before tonight, sure. And of course he liked it. But it wasn't so much the kisses as the feelings of plastic normalcy that came with them. They'd started off with soft, virginal kisses, polite, careful, and few and far between. Each time they went out, the good night kiss had gotten friendlier and friendlier. Tonight, at the stage…well, maybe she'd thought he'd felt more than he should've led on. 

He didn't know what compelled him to lift her off the stage and kiss her like that. Lust is always a driving force. And he did feel lust kissing her. But it wasn't what he'd been pretending it to be when he'd allowed Cordelia and the rest of Caritas to see it. Maybe he'd been trying to prove something to himself…he would never be sure. After that stage kiss, he was in over his head. He felt it coming, but out of fear and want, he ignored it, and just went along for the ride.

_"There you are…" A kiss. "Your friends are waiting, what are you doing out here?"  
"Getting some air,"  
"Is everything okay?"  
"Sure." A lie.  
"Well come back inside. You've got to sing for me."  
"Uh, no,"  
"Angel! Angel, come on…"_

Angel caught himself with his eyes closed, silently reliving that moment. Clearing his throat he opened his eyes, but the feel of her—warm body, hot blood—against him…it stayed with him. It stayed with him as though it were happening again. He didn't move. Only blinked, gazing softly into the dimly lighted space. He spent the rest of the night thinking about it before finally going to bed at first light.

He'd followed her back inside Caritas, and finished the evening with her—talking, laughing, drinking…even singing one song, a very short one, just to appease her. And overall, he was  having a good time. Paige was fun. He had fun with her. He forgot who he was when he was with her, and maybe that was a dangerous thing. Oh hell, he knew it was. But when he was with her, living that moment, it didn't matter. Not so much. Only when Cordelia so smoothly pointed it out with her behavior did he actually truly consider the dangerous possibilities…and the impossible…

"Well, guys, it's getting late," she said sometime around 1AM, hand gracing his lower back, low enough to make his spine tingle at her suggestiveness. "I've got some stuff to do in the morning, so…"

She left the suggestion dangling there in the air, not caring if anyone else understood. She stared fixated on Angel, her green eyes large with expectation, and shimmering with a little playful, unbridled mischief.

"It's still early!" Gunn exclaimed, slightly inebriated with alcohol as he glanced at his watch. But then an equally inebriated Wesley cleared his throat, raising a brow suggestively at Gunn, and Gunn gave Paige a lopsided smile.  "Oh, my bad. Excuse me for being the oblivious one. You two wanna be alone, that's cool. No problem."

Wesley then elbowed him, and Paige giggled. 

"It's okay, really. But I would like a little time alone with my guy."

"But how're we going to get home?" Fred piped in quickly.

"We can take a taxi," Wesley suggested.

"Yeah," Gunn lolled.

"No, Angel has to drive us!"

"Nonsense, Fred!" Wesley grinned. His nose always got so red when he'd been drinking. He could give Rudolph a run for his money. "It's all right. I've got enough to pay for a taxi."

"Go on, have fun." Gunn slurred. He glanced knowingly at Angel. "Don't get home too late…b'for sun up, if you get my drift."

"No," Fred winced.

"Great!" Paige beamed, showing her perfect white teeth framed by stunning lips and an even more beautiful face…if you liked the Hollywood starlet look that is. And at that moment, Angel loved that look. "Then it's all settled." She took his hand and came in close, whispering in his ear. "You wanna get out of here?" 

He smiled himself as the table grew silent. And then he noticed how Fred stared at him with a dire plea in her eyes that begged him not to go.

Angel tried to ignore it, tried to pretend like he didn't notice, or didn't care. Maybe he was showing off? He didn't understand the reason himself. But maybe there had been something he was trying to prove because when he glanced at Wesley and Gunn then threw them a wink, he was satisfied at the envious chuckle that escaped their drunken throats. With his hand on her back, and against his better judgment, he led Paige away from the table and out the side entrance.

He had been angry with Cordelia for leaving like she did. Maybe he was trying to prove something to her.

Paige was all over him in the car. And things did not change when they reached her apartment. At the door, Angel found himself entangling himself in something much deeper than her arms. He was getting in deeper than he'd ever expected himself to allow, and Paige wasn't holding back. She was pressing herself against him, giving him what they had alluded to being a proper good night kiss, while all along it was clear that her intentions had been for this kiss to be only the beginning, the turning point in their still fresh relationship, the crucial step, the breaking point, to break them into the next level. That was a place Angel sorely did not need to be. 

But Angel found himself losing sight of the plan he'd started the night off with: Ending the evening by telling her the truth—showing her his true face if he had to—and then getting the hell out of there before he threw her world out of whack any further, when she was sickened and repulsed and disgusted and finally afraid of him for what he truly was. 

But instead…

"Come inside," She whispered, nibbling his ear. And he obliged. 

Somehow she managed to open the door, Angel didn't even remember her taking out her keys, and he found himself half way leading, half way being led, into her small apartment and through the darkened hallway towards the bedroom. It wasn't the first time he'd been here, but he'd never been here like this.

He touched her slowly, purposefully caressing her body and all her curves in just the right places, as he'd learned to do in his past 240+ years. Her heart sped up to an intense but steady beat, and she gasped against him, and nothing else had ever sounded so enthralling. Kisses were slow and deliberate, lips sucking on one another's lips; fingers were explorative, running through hair, melding into bare skin as clothes were loosened; the darkness seemed to grow darker as the rest of the world fell away into shadow, and shrouded them both into hot, faceless, passion.

The only thing he could hear was the sound of her heart thudding, and the only thing he could feel was the warmth radiating from her skin. The need she clearly conveyed as her fingers trailed down to his belt buckle…the want she passed on as her hips crushed against his, leading him towards her bedroom, urging him on as his hands trailed beneath her blouse and up her ribs and over her swells and around her back once again to grip her firmly against him, all the while his lips, teeth and tongue causing a frenzy to ride with the blood as it coursed along her veins. 

They never made it to the bedroom though.

At some point, Angel had her pinned against the wall, his leather jacket slipping off his arms and his fingers tangling in her clothing and hair all at the same time. He got a hold of the cool feel of silk panties before he realized where he was. Hands slipped into her pants, hanging loose about her waist as the zippers and buttons had been undone; her blouse half raised, showing off her near perfect stomach; hair framing her face, leaving her eyes guarded as her chest rose and fell and her mouth gaped as she sucked in air in a frantic pant.

Angel could only stare as he cupped her face.

When her head came forward, lips parted, Angel dodged them.

"What?" She asked breathlessly. "What is it? What's wrong?"

He contemplated all the things he could tell her; the sound of her heart beating in his ears. When he tried to speak, he couldn't make his mouth move right.

Still cupping her face, he released his grip on her body and allowed her to stand alone against the wall. He pushed her silky hair aside, and pressing his lips into a thin line, shook his head in silence. Her face fell in confusion, even as she grappled to straighten her clothing and adjust her pants.

"I just can't." He said.

"O…Okay." She was so unsure of herself just then, and he felt awful. But his belt was re-buckled before he ever stepped back.

"Angel?" She called out as he turned to walk away.

As much as he wanted to, he couldn't ignore her. He paused, turning slowly to stare back through the dark.

"I had fun," She said earnestly, stepping forward. "I hope…I hope you did, too."

"Too much." He whispered, and she cocked her head, not understanding. "Paige, I'm sorry. I just can't right now."

"Oh." She followed him to the front door.

"Please…it's not you."

"If it's not me, then what is it?" She tried to sound carefree, but it just didn't work. Angel looked at her, touching her hair again.

"It's me. It's all me."

"Care to elaborate?"

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you."

"Try me." She smiled, turning back on the seduction. She pressed up against him, toying with his collar. "There are things you probably wouldn't believe about me if I told you," She tried. "Maybe…maybe we could share some of those things…later. You know…if you…spend the night."

"I wish I could." He said prying her fingers away. "Believe me, I wish I could. But if you knew…" He opened the door and stepped across the threshold. "If you knew, you wouldn't want me to."

"I don't get it," She smiled, troubled, as she stood in the dark entry way, hand posed against the frame while she leaned and watched him. "So do you have some sort of double life or something?"

It was meant as a joke, but Angel didn't smile.

"Something like that."

"Let me guess, you're already involved with someone else?"

"No."

"You're job, then…you're not just a regular detective, right? Is it dangerous? Are you some kind of spy? Some kind of secret agent?"

"It's dangerous, but not how you think."

"What then?" She laughed nervously. "I'm running out of options."

"You couldn't even begin to guess." He said sadly.

"Are you some kind of monster then? The sun goes down and you change? Like Jekyl and Hide?" She chuckled. "Come on, Angel! You can tell me!"

The look he gave her cast her into silence. The intense stare, the yearning of truth so ready at the surface, the way he completely stilled as if he weren't even breathing…it sent shivers down her spine. Sensing her discomfort, Angel took a step forward, unexpectedly close.

"You don't want to know."

And she believed him.  After that, he left. And she went inside and closed the door. After fastening the chain lock with shaky fingers, she watched through the window as his car pulled away. She didn't know his deal. One minute he'd been fine. The next, he seemed freaked. She got the feeling he was trying to intimidate her, needing to without wanting to. But why, she couldn't be sure.

She couldn't get the taste of him out of her mind, that was for sure. He was playing Mysterious Guy, she got that. But she didn't understand why he left when he did. She'd wanted him, and he'd wanted her too, she could feel it. Out of all the night's they'd been together, tonight was supposed to be the night, she could feel it!

She touched her mouth, still tingling and raw from his departure. What could make him leave like that? At the club, he was ready and willing… What had changed from then to now?

She thought about it for only a moment before it finally hit her.

Cordelia.


	7. 

Title: **The Date** (7)  
Author: Rachel 

Email: rachelfromihj@hotmail.com  
Homepages: Rach's Stuff [ http://www.geocities.com/rachelfromihj ] and Under A Blue Night 

[ http://www.geocities.com/underabluenight ]

Rating: PG 13  
Summary: Cordelia doesn't know what to think when Angel suddenly starts dating.

Dedication: To Angel and Cordelia, and all those C/A shipper fans out there for taking the long road! It's gonna happen soon!  
Distribute: Take it, please!  
Written: On a whim, started September 5, 2001

Takes place: 2002, and there is no Angel Jr.

"I'm not here to fight with you."

"Then why are you here?"

"I want to talk. Honestly."

"About what?"

"Angel…obviously"

Cordelia cast Paige a sideways glance. This early in the day, there was no point in being cordial, especially since early on in the conversation, Paige had revealed the fact that she knew Cordelia hated her guts. Cordelia figured why pretend?

"Angel's not awake yet, so maybe you should come back later."

"You don't understand, I want to talk to you alone." Paige looked uncomfortable, but she didn't let Cordelia intimidate her, even with the imaginary daggers Cordelia was throwing with her eyes. She could've easily thrown real ones; there _was_ a display of them against the wall behind her. But Cordelia figured…Paige being Angel's _"date"_ and all…probably not a good idea.

"Do you think that's such a good idea?" Cordy said aloud about the talking while glancing at the daggers in the case with longing.

"Maybe." Paige regarded her suspiciously. "Maybe not."

Cordelia sighed and leaned back against the counter, arms crossing and eyes darkening while she stared at the other woman with repugnance.

"Fine. You want to talk? Talk then. I'm all ears, Miss Thing."

Paige glanced up at the stairs hesitantly.

"Do you think we could go somewhere…private?"

Cordelia's brow perked.

"Right here's just fine."

"I don't want anyone else to overhear. What I've got to say is between you and me."

"Anything you need to say to me can be said right here."

"Wouldn't you rather talk frankly?" Paige challenged. "Instead of holding back to spare Angel's feelings? I mean, come on, I know there has to be a _couple_ of things you've been just dying to say to my face. So, come on. This is your chance."

Cordelia thought about the proposition.

Obviously Paige wanted a place to bitch her out in private. No witnesses so that she could say horrible things and make accusations and threats. And no witnesses so she could deny it later, like, say, if Cordelia went running to Angel to tattle or something. The tramp probably figured she'd play it all innocent and Angel would take her side, making Cordy look bad and causing even more of a rift in Angel and Cordelia's friendship. Of course, there was that thing about being able to fling the crap back. And Cordelia could do her fair share of bitching! And without an audience, who'd be there to hold her back…

Cordelia glared at the girl and smirked.

"I'll get my coat."

"I know we might not have gotten off on the right foot," Paige was saying.

Cordelia watched her droll on and on over cups of gourmet coffee at the little café down the block from the Hotel. 

The Seer picked up her latte and sipped; very much bored with the conversation, and admittedly disappointed that this hadn't turned out quite the way she'd expected. Walking side by side down the sunny, heavily traveled LA street, Cordelia had been preparing herself for eye scratching and hair pulling…you know, traditional cat fight. But just as she was looking forward to it, figures that Miss Thing would decide to get all civil on her. Talking things out instead of settling it like angry women. Trying to level on common ground instead of bitch-slapping and name-calling. You know, actually _talking_, instead of well…_talking._

Cordelia sat idly, letting Paige do all the truce-talk groundwork. She nodded her head once in a while just to let the other brunette know that she was still there, in body if not in spirit. And she pictured Angel a couple of times, and what it must have been like for him having to listen to this girl go on and on, cluelessly, about whatever it was she found reason to discuss. What he'd ever found interesting about her, Cordelia didn't know. But Cordelia pictured him kissing her, embracing her and kissing her in all the ways he shouldn't have, and a frown popped up onto her face before she could stop it. Paige noticed, and stopped speaking. Cordelia looked away and sighed.

"It must be hard for you." Paige said point blank. 

Cordelia glared in annoyance.

"What do you mean?"

"Seeing him spending time with someone else." 

Cordelia's eyes narrowed slightly, lips turning down even more in an open scowl.

"I really don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you do," Paige said knowingly, nodding her head to herself as if to confirm some silly little secret in her head. Cordelia hissed.

"You have NO idea of what you're talking about!"

"Well, then tell me! Let me in on the deal. I mean obviously, you have a problem with something. That's no secret,"

"I—I never said it was!"

"Well, then stop acting like it!"

"I'm not acting like anything!"

"You're denying it!"

"I so am not!"

"You are to! You're denying it right now!"

"I never denied anything!"

"You just said you didn't know what I was talking about!"

"I didn't!" Cordelia seethed. "I still don't! I don't even know why we're having this conversation! I figured when you said you wanted to talk, it'd really be, like, having it out, or something! Over your attitude! Not this petty getting-to-know you crap first! Jeez! I swear—"

"I'm not the one with the attitude, and I never wanted to have it out with you."

"Then what the hell was all that, 'I'm sure you've got something to say' stuff!"

"I thought you had something you wanted to get off your chest."

"I don't HAVE anything to get off my chest!"

"Are you sure? I mean, you seem like you're struggling with something, like you can't deal with me and Angel being together—"

"TOGETHER??? PFT!" Cordelia let out a long scoff before she could stop herself. "Look, think whatever, girlie! But if I wanted to get something off my chest, I'd talk to one of my FRIENDS, not to you!"

"Well, excuse me for trying to be nice!"

"I don't _need_ your nice!"

"I've been trying to be nice for Angel's sake!" Paige swore with frustration. "You know, Cordelia, you're not the easiest person to speak to!"

"I'm plenty easy to speak to!" Cordelia blasted. "And you know what? Angel doesn't need your nice either!"

"How would you know what Angel needs?"

"HOW WOULD YOU!"

"We connect! I feel like we might, I dunno, belong together or something!"

"If you only KNEW how many times I've heard THAT,"

"Angel and I…we have something, and I can't help but feel that it's fate!"

"If you only KNEW how absurd THAT is!"

"The others don't have a problem with this, why do you?" Paige demanded.

"Speaking of the others," Cordelia hissed. "The _others_ aren't as fond of you as you think. Don't go thinking they have any loyalties to you! Just because you're Angel's _"date"_ once in a while, don't go getting comfortable with _my_ friends."

"Don't you think you should let them speak for themselves!?"

"They might be too nice to say it, but we all realize that you're just a passing trend! You're not a part of the group, and you never will be. Maybe you should stop trying to kid yourself, and put an end to this dating madness. You're not right for Angel, and you sure as hell don't fit in with my group!"

"I never thought trying to actually offer friendship to you would be this insulting." Paige scathed. She sat back, hand clamped angrily around her hot coffee mug as she glared at Cordelia.

"It's nothing personal." Cordelia growled. "Really. It's not. You have to understand that we've known Angel for a long time. A VERY LONG TIME. I've—We've been through the thickest of the thick with him! And when others bailed on him, in his dark times, we stuck by him, no matter how bad things got! You couldn't handle the kinds of things we deal with in our lives. You'd get yourself killed. If you even saw a glimmer of what being with Angel really meant, you'd be hightailing it out of here. LIKE NOW. Save him some heartache. Do him a favor…Just let it go."

"I don't know who you think you are," Paige said incredulously. "You're not his mother. You're not his girlfriend. You certainly can't make decisions for him. If Angel wants to date me, that's his choice! If he doesn't want to date me, then it's up to him to tell me. Not his little…groupie!"

"I am NOT his groupie,"

"Maybe I don't know him as well as you do! Maybe I've only known him a few weeks and I don't know what you guys deal with at work! But you don't know what it's like between us! You don't know how close we've gotten, or how he makes me feel, when we're alone. I like him, Cordelia. He's a great guy. And as few and far between as guys like him are—and I'm sure you know how rare they are!—I'm NOT about to throw it away because you don't like me! I'm dating him, not you. In case you didn't notice, you're opinion doesn't count." 

"My opinion counts A LOT more than you'd like to admit, sister! Angel and I are like family—"

"You want to wage war against me?" Paige practically roared. Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at them. "You want to go up against me? You want this to be a competition??? Then that's your problem!" Paige's face pinked with fury. "But I just want to warn you, Cordelia, you're in for a hell of a fight. And I don't play nice. I'd rather not, but I will do my damnedest to better you. Angel's going to make up his own mind about me. And that's all there is to it." Paige sat back in disgust, determination on her features.

The air was thick, and Cordelia felt its roughness as she inhaled through flared nostrils. The two girls locked eyes in an unwavering staring match, teeth ground and eyes afire, nearly staring a hole into each other when the waiter hesitantly approached to refill their cups. 

"Uh, more coffee?" He stammered. 

"Yes, please." Paige mumbled. He filled her cup, then started at Cordelia's, but a firm hand across the top of the cup stopped him and the look on Cordy's face sent him scurrying back to the kitchen. At their silence, the other restaurant patrons turned back to their own business. And finally, after several moments, amazingly both girls' faces softened enough to cause a falter in the glare. They both sat back slowly, eyes dropping to the tablecloth and hands to their laps. Paige was the first to speak.

"I didn't want things to be this way." She said, pained.

"You think I did?" Cordelia sighed angrily.

"No. I don't think so. I don't think you meant to be this hard on Angel."

"Angel?" Cordelia scowled, wrinkling her nose.

"Yeah," Paige snapped, leaning forward. "You think you're being hard on me. But you're not. You're being hard on him. I don't know you. I could care less about what you think. Angel cares about you though. He respects you. And highly, as I've come to find out. And your opinions do matter to him. You being mean to me doesn't do anything but hurt him. The way you are about him…so protective…it's obvious that your feelings for him run deep. How deep, I don't know. And being that I'm vying to be his girlfriend, it's something I have to consider, and something I have to deal with. Am I worried about that? Sure I am. Am I troubled by that? A little. Am I afraid of it? Absolutely not. So don't think you can scare me off, Cordelia. I don't scare easily."

'Yeah right,' Cordelia mused, imagining Paige's face after a run in with Angelus…

Paige went on.

"And you should save your strength for more important things, like your own relationship with him."

Cordelia started to protest, but Paige held up a hand. "I know nothing's going on between you. I know your relationship isn't like that, he told me. But regardless you are competition. In your own, scary little way, I have to deal with the fact that you're here. And so we're going to clash. That's not uncommon between old friends and new girlfriends…"

Cordelia cringed at the word.

"…But the easier you make it on us, the easier you'll make it on him. The easier you are on him, the better it will be for yourself. You want things to be easy, right? You want your friendship to remain in tact?"

Cordelia nodded bitterly.

"Then back off, Cordelia. Let Angel do this on his own. Please don't try to push him away from me. If things don't work out…" Paige stalled, and Cordelia had to wonder if that was a slip at something she hadn't yet heard about or if it were just a hypothetical thought. Either way, Paige continued to talk and Cordelia did not interrupt. She actually listened, and frightfully because everything that Paige was saying felt true…everything that came out of her mouth had already ran through Cordelia's head this morning. She'd been thinking about all this ALL morning, ever since last night, after Angel had stopped by and they'd had their little "talk"…

"Cordelia…" Paige pleaded. "Look, if we break things off, let it be on us…not on you. Otherwise, he's going to end up resenting you, and at this point, you really can't afford to have that, right?"

Cordelia swallowed.

"Where have you been?" Gunn asked.

"Out getting coffee with Angel's _girl_." Cordelia sighed.

_"Whaaat?"_ A lopsided smile formed on his lips.

"Shut up, Gunn. It wasn't that big a deal." Cordelia hung up her coat and handbag and then ventured to her desk.

"What do you mean you were getting coffee with Angel's girl?" He teased, following her and plopping down on top of her desk and swinging his legs. "Did hell freeze over? Are you drunk? Are my ears not working properly? Cause I thought I just heard you say that you was getting coffee with Angel's girl!"

"I DID say that," Cordelia sighed bitterly. "And if you repeat it to anyone, I'll kill you, got it!"

Gunn held up his hands.

"Hey, my lips are sealed! But what did she say? I can't imagine it was girlfriend-talk, am I right? I mean, I KNOW you didn't have girlfriend-talk with Angel's date!"

"No, it wasn't girlfriend-talk." Cordelia said. "At least not in the way you mean it. We did talk…about her being Angel's…_girlfriend,"_ Gunn's eyebrow perked. "WHICH SHE SO IS NOT," Cordelia stressed, shoving a stray strand of hair back behind her ear. "She's sooo not his girlfriend…not yet, anyway. And I don't know if she ever will be, but…" 

The Seer grew quiet until Gunn nudged her with his foot.

"Cordy, what happened?" He asked too seriously.

"We came to a truce." She said with acceptance. Glancing up into the Street Warriors warm brown eyes, she offered him what small smile she could and explained. "Paige and I agreed to a few things. I'm not going to interfere anymore. She's not going to try to come between us, and I'm not going to try to come between them. We're both going to keep our distance from each other and just let things work themselves out. She's going to continue to see Angel…and I'm going to start minding my own business. Maybe this way…things wont get so messed up. I—I don't know—"

"And you agreed to this???"

She shrugged sadly.

"WOW." Gunn sighed, intrigued. "I didn't think you'd bend so easily."

"I had to." Cordelia said timidly. "If I didn't, things might…well, it might not end so well. For anyone. And I don't want that. I couldn't handle that. Not again." A small shiver came over her, and he caught it, hard times from the past coming back to haunt her memories. Gunn reached out and rubbed her shoulder.

"So it's a good thing," He suggested.

"Maybe." She said. "Maybe. I guess it's up to Angel."

"Hmn."

"It's all up to Angel. Now…"

"Well, I think it was very woman of you to agree to this!" Gunn said loud and encouraging. He let go of her shoulder and hopped down from her desk. "And I think Angel will appreciate it, not having to deal with your hair-brained antics anymore,"

She shot him a dirty look and he grinned.

"So what about tomorrow night?" He asked, quickly changing the subject. "How's that gettin' dealt with?"

"Well," She shrugged, picking up a pen and absentmindedly chewing on its cap as she flipped open her day planner. "I decided to invite her."

"Oh REALLY?" Gunn said, surprised.

"Yeah. I mean, I thought about what you said the other day," She explained. "And I figured you were right, Angel would want her there. They are dating after all. And this is kinda a big deal for him, a huge deal, even though he doesn't know about it yet. I mean, I was thinking…what if things _do_ work out for them? What if she becomes like permanent??? Then what? Then I'm the troll who didn't invite her to Angel's big day! I didn't want that hanging over my head, you know. If Wesley had been in charge of the arrangements, I'd have let it go, left the blame with him,"

Gunn chuckled, as did Cordelia.

"But seeing as it's my thing," She said in conclusion, pen now working at creating a big, blue circle around the events marked down for Friday the 15th. "I figured, you know, better do things right. Everyone else is coming, she should too. It'll probably make Angel happy, ya know? And that's the point… Everyone's gotta be happy, I don't throw unhappy parties. I worry about my guests' well being. Just call me Hostess Cordy."

"Good work, Hostess Cordy," Gunn said, nodding in approvement. "Well done."

"Thank you." She beamed.

"You're welcome."

"So what time is everyone gonna get here?"

"Uh," Cordy glanced at her notes. "Everyone's coming at 8, I worked it out with Paige to bring Angel around 9."

"Trusting her to do the duty? I thought me and Wesley was taking care of that?"

"I thought it'd be better to let her do it. I need you and Wesley at Caritas anyway. And this way, there's no weirdness. They'll be out on a date, and she'll just insist they stop by for a little song and drink, and surprise! Angel's clueless, things are done. Angel would get way suspicious if you and Wesley suggested stopping for karaoke anyway. It's a way for Paige to finally be usefull, and plus it's just the easiest solution to the entire situation… Pretty smart, huh?'

"Props for cleverness." 

"Thank you."

"But how did you know they'd be having a date, I thought you told Angel to keep Friday open?"

"I did. But after what happened last night…" Cordelia flushed at the thought. Gunn was clueless about what had happened at her apartment and she wasn't about to tell him anything. "After last night, I just figured Angel would much rather go out with Paige than hang out with me. She's going to be calling him later and asking him out, and I'm going to tell him whatever we'd planned for tomorrow is off and to go ahead and go, and then, well…everything should work out fine."

"Looks like you've got everything figured out."

"Of course I do." Cordelia smiled assuringly. "Now I just have to make sure it goes smoothly, and we should have quite a happy vampire on our hands!"

"But not _too _happy, right?"

"No. Not _too_ happy. That wouldn't be good."

"It sure wouldn't."

Cordelia glanced at the time.

"Oh crap, I have to call Sunnydale!"


	8. 

Title: **The Date** (8)  
Author: Rachel 

Email: rachelfromihj@hotmail.com  
Homepages: Rach's Stuff and Under A Blue Night

Rating: PG 13  
Summary: Cordelia doesn't know what to think when Angel suddenly starts dating.

Dedication: To Angel and Cordelia, and all those C/A shipper fans out there for taking the long road! It's gonna happen soon!  
Distribute: Take it, please!  
Written: On a whim, started September 5, 2001

Takes place: 2002, and Angel Jr. never happened.

Angel felt funny about agreeing to go out with Paige tonight.

He was staring at his imaginary self in the mirror, fingering his slightly spiky hair and running his hands over his freshly ironed shirt. 

He was wearing black. Black on black. Again.

Lately he had been wearing more colors, at Cordelia's influence, that was obvious. But after the other night, he'd felt himself wanting to revert somewhat into his old, dark, inconspicuous self…an uneasily admitted comfortable resignation. And it hadn't helped that for the past two days Cordelia had been mostly avoiding him. (And he, her.) But he couldn't blame her. After what had happened on the previous Wednesday, after the movie, after Caritas, in Cordelia's apartment…how he'd stormed in and said what he'd said… She may have deserved it then, she did, he guessed. But he felt bad about it now. And he'd take it back if he could. Probably take back every day of the last few weeks, too. Take back everything. Just to make everything right between them. With him, her, his best friends, his family. Again…

Closing his eyes and sighing, he couldn't help but wish he'd listened to her in the first place. What Cordelia had been saying, been batting into his head ever since he'd met Paige, had slowly come together in a blast of cold fact in the last few nights since the incident at Paige's apartment. And anyway Angel realized he really didn't have any idea of what he'd been doing. 

Dating. Really. Had he really been fooling himself that much? It was just so wrong. 

He remembered these same feelings all those years ago with Buffy… 

Seemed like another lifetime… 

It was…

Thinking about it now, it was wrong. Being in Paige's arms, feeling like a normal guy… He wasn't a normal guy. He never had been and he never would be. Normalcy wasn't something anyone in this office would ever know. Wanting to be normal, pretending to be…it was a lie. He'd been lying to himself and his friends, and…Paige. And right around now he felt really, really bad, as if he'd been tricking her or something. And now he didn't have any idea of what he was doing. But what could he do now besides fix it? What could he do?

He glanced at his watch and bit his lip, something completely uncharacteristic for Angel. 

Nearly 7:50. He was late. On purpose. 

He was stalling. He was deftly afraid. And he hated to admit it but it was true. He should have left twenty minutes ago, but he kept finding excuses to stay. Glancing into the empty reflection again and again - and finally only one last time - running his fingers through his messy hair – finally in final acceptance – and he finally turned and took up his coat and keys, and his boots didn't make a sound as he crossed the floor of his suite and exited into the hallway, down the stairs and into the lobby of the Hyperion.

"Fred! Come on! We're going to be late!" Cordelia's voice boomed through the open space, bounced off the walls and hit his eardrums with force. 

Angel startled as he rounded the stairs. He hadn't known she were here. He came down to the floor, surprised when he came upon her leaning heavily against the old check in counter as she fought furiously to adjust the strap on her sexy, black high heel. Getting it right, she spun around, lips parted in motion to shout for the other girl once again when her eyes went wide catching with Angel's. He was staring, completely surprised, and nearly speechless, as his eyes seemed to focus on her appearance, truly taken aback. Cordelia's face went red and panic caught in her throat. He was white with awe, and the simple innocent leer on his face was nearly enough to cause her to stammer.

"YOU SCARED ME!" She hissed, slamming her clutch purse down on the counter with a scowl. She purposely turned away from him and took a quick, deep breath. "I didn't know you were still here! I thought you left to pick up Paige twenty minutes ago! Jeez! Bell, Angel. Wear a BELL!"

"S—Sorry." He stammered back, swallowing, as he looked her up and down for the second, third, fourth, maybe fifth time. 

She looked stunning. 

"Are you going—going out?" He managed when he finally got his bearings back. She gave him a look that told him it was a stupid question, and sarcastically answered,

"Yes."

"Oh. Well…that's nice."

She wore a simple black dress. It had just the slightest hint of a silver sheen, and Angel swore it had been sculpted to fit her body, and her body alone. 

No sleeves, only thin straps that fell around each shoulder instead of over them, leaving her shoulders perfectly bare. Low neckline, dipped slightly to accentuate her breasts…not that he was THINKING about them…exactly… It fitted at the waist and hugged at the hips to trail down her thighs with the slightest ruffled flare just at her perfect knees… And no stockings. Just bare, tan legs, long as they stood perfectly footed in the strappy heels that showed off perfect feet; open-toed to reveal painted toenails in a natural, pearly shade. 

He checked her hands.

Nails left bare with clear polish. 

Her hair was combed in a sleek part down the middle, barely grazing her shoulders as her head bobbed with her movement. She turned and looked at him again and he noticed lips – a soft glaze of natural lip-gloss glistening moistly on her pout. 

Then the makeup around her eyes, shimmering pale in the light... 

Her lashes were the best though, long and black, framing clear, hazel eyes. He was captivated by those lashes…

She stared at him, eyes blank and a perpetual scowl causing the slightest frown lines to mar her perfect face. Angel caught himself leering, and feeling foolish, looked away. He even took a step back, adjusting his collar, right hand digging through his pockets for keys which he finally remembered were already clutched within his left hand.

He felt pretty lame standing there like he did, eyes darting nervously as he realized she was probably expecting some kind of explanation. He quickly glanced at his watch.

"I'm, uh, running late." He said.

"Yeah, weren't you supposed to pick her up like at 7:30?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, it's almost 8 now. You better move your ass."

"Yeah. I'm going now."

"Well," She said too blandly with a small shrug. "Then later." She turned back up at the stairs and hollered again. "FRED!!! DOWN!!! NOW!!!"

"COMING!" Fred called back from somewhere on the second floor.

"I, uh, thought you cancelled your plans tonight." Angel said.

"We cancelled with _you_." Cordelia said too easily with a callous coldness. She immediately regretted it. "Well, with you _guys,"_ She lied. "Me and Fred are still going out. A girls night out, you could say..."

"Oh." His brow rose and he nodded. "Well, that's good. You girls should go out, have some fun, have a good time,"

"We will." Cordelia said shortly. 

They could hear Fred running through the hallway towards the stairwell, and Cordelia was relieved when her head peeked out from over the banister.

"I'm coming right now!" Fred called down.

"Well, hurry! The cab's waiting," Cordelia called back up.

"You could've borrowed my car," Angel said then. "I could've had Paige pick me up, and—"

"Angel, we gotta go."

Cordelia walked past him as Fred reached the landing, clad in a sexy red dress, which Angel was surprised to find she actually looked comfortable in.

"Sorry I took so long," Fred gushed.

"It's okay," Cordy smiled. The girls, shoulder to shoulder started towards the door in a confident sexy, stride courtesy of the tall heels. Angel stared after.

"Bye, Angel!" Fred beamed as they started out. "See ya later!"

"Bye." He said forlornly. "Have a good time."

"Don't' worry, we will." Cordelia huffed definitely as she held the door for Fred. Glancing back and feeling a tinge of guilt at his expression, she added almost apologetically, "Hey…you too."

He nodded, and smiled. But his face fell a little, as she disappeared. He followed to the door and waited for the cab to pull away before heading out and locking up behind him. He got in his car and went to pick up Paige.

"Do you think he suspects anything?" Fred asked in the cab as they rode down the boulevard towards the club. She felt the tension thick like cheese when she'd descended the stairs and found them standing there, Cordy ignoring him, Angel standing idly. She didn't say anything, it was their business after all, and she wasn't one to pry. But she couldn't WAIT for this to be over and things to go back to normal, however unnormal that might mean. And she wasn't the only one. Gunn and Wesley had commented on the subject themselves in an earlier conversation between just the three of them– 

"Nah." Cordy interrupted Fred's train of thought – a good thing considering how off track her trains could get – dismissing all insecurity about the subject. "I've been so mean to him all day," The Seer said almost proudly. "And yesterday, the only time I really talked to him was to give him the directions to that Mango nest—"

"Meshango."

"What?"

"Meshango. You said 'mango'."

The Seer rolled her eyes.

"Mango, meshango, what's the diff? Point being, yesterday I only talked to him like once to tell him the vision info on where to find those nasty things. And today, I mostly just glared at him and he kept his distance, so this is the last thing he's going to expect."

"Poor Angel." Fred frowned. She looked over at Cordelia, Cordelia's smile faltering just the slightest, causing the two of them to share a brief, depressing silence.

"I know." Cordelia finally said. "I know. I suck! But it'll be worth it! The look that's going to be plastered across his big, dumb face tonight ALONE has been enough for me to keep on him like this…" She smiled broader then. "When he walks into the club, he's going to be totally surprised,"

"Yeah," Fred agreed. "He will." A grin made it's way across her mouth. "Cordelia this really was such a good idea, I really think he's going to appreciate it. He's going to have a lot of fun,"

"Well, he deserves it."

"He does."

"Even…though…he's been so STUPID lately-"

"Cordy!" Fred exclaimed, covering her ears in protest.

"Sorry!" The Seer shrugged. "I know, I know! I'm sorry…" She settled back in her seat, face marred with nagging doubt. "I know it's not my place, I really do. But I still can't help wishing Paige wasn't a part of his life! Does that make me a totally terrible person???"

"Not totally…" Fred mused. But you've done the right things, so that kinda makes up for the terrible," She clasped Cordelia's hand nervously.

"Yeah, I just hope Girlie comes through and gets him to Caritas on time," Cordelia growled. 

She watched the traffic through the window, her brow suddenly arching and she twisted back to stare at Fred.

"I wouldn't put it past her to sabotage this! OH DAMN—" Cordelia's face filled with rage.

"CORDY!" Fred exclaimed.

"What if that little tramp—!"

"It'll be fine!" Fred assured her.

"DAMN! Why did I trust her to handle this! I bet she's going to screw me over! What if she doesn't bring him!"

"She wont screw you over! She's going to bring him!" The Physicist insisted. "Cordy, take a deep breath! Everything will go according to plan! She'll bring him!"

"I hope so!" Cordelia huffed, trying to remain calm. She felt the veins in her neck start to bulge and her face grow hot. She took a couple of deep, resigned breaths, if not to make herself feel better at least to make Fred. "I swear," She said, smoothing down her dress. "If that little shit doesn't bring him, I'm going to kick her prissy ass! I've been DYING to get my fingers into her hair and just pull…!"

"As much fun as that would be," Fred agreed, and Cordelia's eyes widened in surprise. Fred smiled. "You really wont need to. I have faith that this…ALL OF THIS…will work out. All according to plan, and Paige wont ruin it."

"You mean to tell me you don't like her either?" Cordelia asked suspiciously.

Fred shook her head sheepishly.

"No. Well, I mean, she's nice…but… She's like, how can I say this? Not the _right_ one for him. I mean, HEL-LO!"

"I'm glad you agreed to come," Paige smiled easily as she unfolded the napkin and lay it across her lap. Angel glanced about the restaurant with a nervousness she hadn't ever seen on him before, and she could tell that something was making him very, very uncomfortable.

She let it go for a few moments, but then couldn't help herself. She said almost casually, "Angel, I've been wondering if you were planning on telling me what's wrong," 

It was enough to make him stop fidgeting.

"You've been acting strange," She said. "Ever since…well, the other night. And, I don't really understand why. We're okay, right? No hard feelings, right? You're not upset about that, are you??? Because I'm not—"

"I'm so sorry about that." He interjected genuinely. "I'm really sorry, Paige. Really. I didn't mean to make you feel…like I was."

"Well, that's a relief," 

"I guess," Angel continued. He frowned. "I guess things have just gotten really…complicated, for me lately…" Her face fell. "But I don't mean that that's your fault! It's not! If anything it's mine! All mine! All my fault, all of this, me—!"

"Angel?" She interrupted, meeting his eyes.

"Yes?"

"Relax."

He nodded.

"You're so tense, I've never seen you this way before, not even at the movies the other night," She giggled. "Maybe you should…you know…talk about it. Let me in—" 

He fidgeted with his silverware.

"Look," She said hastily. "I know we've only known each other for a few weeks. Good weeks, I might say—I hope for you too—and things probably got too fast for you, or something, right? But that's okay…no damage done. We can put the brakes on, we can slow down! If that's what you need. Take things slow… We don't have to like, rush into anything you don't want…"

Angel stared at her awkwardly and a flush flooded her cheeks.

"And it's usually the guy giving this speech!" she grinned nervously. "So you're going to have to tell me whether or not I'm doing okay!"

Angel only stared at her.

"So I understand we probably need to talk right?" Paige said almost fearfully, and he looked pained. "It's alright," She assured him, reaching out across the table and touching his forearm. "I know what it's like to have things going on that you have a hard time talking about."

They were interrupted by the waiter.

"May I take your order?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! Um…" Paige snatched up the menu and quickly glanced over her options. "I don't know what I want yet." She told Angel.

"How about we start off with drinks?" The waiter suggested. He looked at Paige expectantly. 

"Chardonnay." She answered.

"Very good. And for you, sir?"

"A glass of Kiante, please."

"Any appetizers?"

Angel looked to Paige who shook her head.

"No, thank you." He answered.

"Very good. I'll be back with your drinks." 

The waiter walked away.

"Anyway," Paige went on nervously, setting the menu back down, hands beginning to tremble ever so slightly. She placed them in her lap, wringing them together out of sight. "So you have stuff going on. Things to talk about. And I'd like to hear it, if you want to share. I mean, I'm interested in what's going on with you, Angel. I'm all ears. So talk to me. Just open up and say what's on your mind. At least give me that much. If something's wrong, please give me a chance to know."

Now she was the nervous one.

Angel took a deep contemplative breath, focusing on appearing relaxed if not human. It seemed to work because Paige followed suite and sank back into her chair, the worry draining slightly from her features, though hidden beneath the table cloth, her hands still trembled, clasped.

Angel leaned slightly forward, eyes downcast, fixating on the grain of the elegant tablecloth. "There are things…" He started slowly. "Going on. Stuff…you don't know about…yet."

The yet hung in the air as a pair of hands appeared with two wine glasses, placing them on the table before them while two bottles were uncorked and poured.

"Have you decided on your order?" The voice of the waiter asked.

Paige glanced quickly at the unopened menus sitting at the side of the table.

"Fettuccini, please." She nearly whispered.

"Salad?"

"Please. With Vinaigrette."

"Certainly. And for you sir?"

Angel just shook his head waived the waiter off.

"Very good. Thank you." He left.

"You're not eating?" Paige asked, slightly puzzled as she picked up her wine glass and sipped.

"No." Angel said confidently. "I don't…eat. Just…_drink."_

"Like an alcoholic?" She was able to deadpan, and he smiled, caught off guard.

"Not exactly."

"Well, that's good…don't want a boozehound for a boyfriend."

"Uh…" He said nervously, sitting back in his chair. "About that…"

"What?" She asked, setting the glass back down. "Did I say something wrong? Did I use the "b" word incorrectly or something?" She smiled again, broader, suddenly more confident, and then took his hand across the table.

"Not exactly." He repeated as she stroked her thumb over his.

Other couples in the restaurant dined in their own conversation, oblivious to theirs, and it pained Angel inside to wish that he…they…he and Paige, could ever be involved in such an easy, natural, existence. 

He never would though. And as he tried, though vaguely, to make her understand that, she didn't seem to realize what he was trying to say. She interrupted often, assuming he was heading in completely different directions, and when she did allow him time to speak unbroken, he realized he wasn't making any sense.

What he thought he made clear she didn't seem to be taking to heart, and most of what was said seemed to be only heard and not listened to. Not her fault really, how could she understand?

Her food came, and as he watched her eat – accidentally making her feel somewhat self-conscious in her efforts – he longed for Cordelia's simple truth.

His Seer always understood. She always knew exactly what he was getting at…except for when it came to a certain characteristic behavior of Meshango demons. Stuff that like he had to explain in terms of ooze, goo, pus, slime, dissolving, absorbing, and a substantial lack of limbs. But who else besides Wesley could understand all the other stuff anyway??? Cordelia always understood what was on his mind – except for when she was being a pain in the ass, which was a lot of the time – and he thought to himself that she very well might be the only person he didn't have to actually speak to to relate to. There had been many times when they'd shared comfortable silences, during even the hardest of times, just sitting, listening only to the silence but still understanding, and she'd always made him feel better…she always understood.

And right now, Angel felt very misunderstood.

"I don't understand, Angel." Paige said deftly, pushing her half empty plate aside and taking a sip of her Chardonnay. "I can tell that your heart's been broken somewhere in the past. Severely. Why, anyone can tell that. But everyone's gone through it. Everyone's heart has been broken once…I just don't understand why you wont tell me about it."

"It happened a long time ago," Angel sighed. "It really has nothing to do with things now,"

"Of course it does." Paige insisted.

"Paige, you wouldn't believe me if I told you,"

"What's not to believe?"

"There is so much…"

Paige glanced at her watch, cringing at the hour. "Uh, well. Go on. We've…got time."

Angel basically repeated everything he'd said earlier, only with more pressure, which left her more and more confused and him more frustrated. By the end of the hour, they were both dispensed, with only one thing certain.

"Paige, I appreciate everything you've tried to say, really. But it isn't the right…time."

"Will it ever be the right time?" She asked boldly. Angel regarded her regretfully.

"I…I don't think so. I'm sorry. I wish there was something more I could say to help you understand,"

Paige took a deep breath and stared down at her hands.

"Believe it or not, that last part came through loud and clear."

"I'm sorry. I wish I could—"

"No, you don't have to say anything else," She picked up her near empty glass and finished it off. Her hands trembled again and he caught it, and he felt really, really bad. But he didn't know how to offer her any comfort without making things worse. 

Meanwhile Paige was running through everything that Cordelia had said to her the day before, everything that had happened in the last two weeks, everything that had been said in the last hour and a half…

Her eyes widened as she glanced at her watch and gasped.

"Angel, we gotta go. We're running late!"

He stared at her, puzzled.

"Late for what?"


	9. 

Title: **The Date** (9)  
Author: Rachel 

Email: rachelfromihj@hotmail.com  
Homepages: Rach's Stuff and Under A Blue Night

Rating: PG 13  
Summary: Cordelia doesn't know what to think when Angel suddenly starts dating.

Dedication: To Angel and Cordelia, and all those C/A shipper fans out there for taking the long road! It's gonna happen soon!  
Distribute: Take it, please!  
Written: On a whim, started September 5, 2001

Takes place: 2002, and baby Connor isn't appearing because I started this way before I knew Darla would be pregnant and that storyline just doesn't go with my plot!

"They're not here yet," Cordelia growled, hand clamped tightly about the pink Cosmopolitan that the Host had whipped up to relax her. It was meant to calm her nerves, but it seemed to just be adding fuel to the fire. Cordelia was…irritated, to say the least and for lack of a better, more civilized, word. Patience was not one of her best virtues to start with, and with already four drinks in her, her patience was wearing severely thin. Lorne stood by, looking empathetic. "They're not here yet," She repeated grumpily. "What the hell is going on! Where the hell are they!"

"Relax, doll." Lorne lolled, wiping down the counter. "Angel Cakes will show," He promised. "I can feel it."

The new bartender, Bruce, was busy down at the other end of the bar, working his mojo, designing new drinks. Only Lorne suspected his mojo wasn't so mojo-y tonight…Lorne always said orange juice and Kahlua didn't mix. Sergio, the headwaiter, and Dante, one of the more reliable busboys, were the only other employees on the clock. Both were busy delivering drinks and appetizers and clearing dishes from the tables to make more room. They were working hard, and it was expected. Lorne was paying them double time plus tips!

The entire place was decorated with streamers and bright, colorful balloons, a'la Cordelia. Of course it was tasteful, if not a little over done, but then she wanted it all to be perfect. The Karaoke machine was warmed up, the guests were dressed in their party time best, and on the outside of the bar entrance door hung a sign that read, "Closed tonight for Private Party." Everything was perfect. Everything was ready. Everyone was ON TIME, everyone that is, except the guest of honor. Oh, and his trampy girlfriend.

Cordelia sighed in an angry huff.

"I swore I would murder her!" She brought the drink to her lips to take a nice, long, gulp. When she set the glass back down, it was nearly empty. She glared at Lorne. "I swore I would kill her!!! I said, 'If she didn't get him here…'" She rolled her eyes. "Me and Fred were even discussing it on the way in the cab! I just KNEW she would do SOMETHING to sabotage this, I just knew it!" 

Lorne smirked.

"That lousy, little, conniving…" 

Lorne frowned.  

"Skanky, skinny-assed, prissy little fu—"

"Hey, hey, hey!" He exclaimed, covering his ears. "Watch the language! My virgin ears! You're going to soil me!" The light caught his fingernails and they reflected a sparkling ruby glitter over fresh, deep-red varnish. 

"Nice nails!" Cordelia exclaimed, momentarily distracted as she grabbed his hand for closer inspection.

"Thanks." He beamed. "Just got 'em done this morning."

"Hey, what color is that?"

"Devil's Blush,"

"What a great name!"

"Isn't it, though!"

"Sure is!"

"I picked it up at Lucia's Salon. She mixes colors especially for me."

"GOD I wish I could afford to get my nails done, it's been like forever!"

"Lucia and I are very close, I get a great discount."

"Lucky, lucky! Must be nice!"

"Hey, want her number? I'll refer you!"

"That'd be awesome!"

"Great."

"K, so back to Paige."

"Right."

Cordelia emptied her glass, and sighed in frustration for about the millionth time. Lorne suspected that if Angel didn't show, he'd have one ballistic Seer on his hands…not good.

"Lorne, I swear, if she ruins this for me, _er, Angel_…I can not be held responsible for my actions! First, I'm going to slap her a few times. Then I'm going to…to…to strangle her! AND THEN, I most DEFINITELY am going to have to probably pull out all her hair!"

"Hey," Lorne broke in. "If she doesn't follow through, I might have to kill her myself! Closing the club on a Friday night is nuts as it is! It's costing me a fortune! And then to have Mr. Man Of The Hour himself not show…?"

"We'll both kill her."

"Agreed!"

"Good."

"Another Cosmo?"

"Hit me."

"I don't understand the rush," Angel said in exasperation as Paige led him by the jacket sleeve across the noticeably empty Caritas parking lot.

"We have to hurry," She said adamantly, her tone very businesslike, no nonsense.

"But hurry for what???"

"We just have to get inside."

"Why???"

"Just come on!" 

She glanced at her watch again, biting her lip at the time. It was after ten.

She dragged Angel to the club door, and before he could see the sign on it, Paige yanked it open with all her might and ushered him in. He came down the steps, silent as a mouse as usual, with Paige stuck to his side like glue. As they came to the end of the stairs, she looked up at him worriedly, and when he glanced back down at her, clearly confused by the fuss, she looked away. 

As they crossed the threshold into the bar, Angel halted. Party favors and guests aside, the first thing he laid eyes on was the stage, as was usual when entering the Karaoke bar Caritas. His eyes immediately locked onto an oddly familiar figure.

A completely unnerving sight--familiarity flashing overwhelmingly through his brain—it was definitely a familiar figure, busy blaring into the microphone. Busy strutting around his stuff. Busy being tall, and thin, and far too blonde to be natural. Busy, to say the least, rocking out to an old Billy Idol tune.

It took a minute, but ONLY a minute, before—face blanching, jaw dropping, and eyes widening in shock horror in a quasi deer-in-headlights/flabbergasted-awed-shocked sort of way—Angel finally registered just who it was he was staring at…William The Bloody had never been more frightening! Spike was up there singing "White Wedding".

"_Hey little sister, what have you done…Hey little sister, who's your only one…"_

He gyrated his hips and snared his lip and made eyes at the room as he danced.

Angel stood in the doorway, any residual color drained completely from his face. His jaw dropped lower, if that was even possible, and when Spike jutted his ass and grabbed his crotched and wailed into the microphone in a raunchy display of showmanship, it didn't take anything more for Angel to finally find his voice as an obscenity rose from his throat.

"WHAT. THE. F—"

Spike glanced over at the pair in the doorway, halting in song as he cast his grande sire a disdainful expression. At the utter look of horror plastered across the man's face, with a chuckle erupting from his throat and a rueful grin to the room, Spike gently raised the mic up to his lips, and every so gently, most properly in an enunciated British tongue, announced to the room, 

"Look, everyone. Peaches is here."

Besides the music, the room went dead silent, and as faces turned to regard him, Angel found a sea of disturbing figures.

Xander Harris was standing with his arm about the ex-Vengeance demon Anya, the two of them looking very much the same as when Angel had last seen them last. Except only that Xander wasn't so scrawny anymore, and Anya looked less…demony. More human. More blonde. More…married? He'd heard a few months ago that the two of them had wed. Truth be told, he'd been a little surprised, Xander had never seemed the marrying type. At least not back when Angel knew him. But then, times changed, he guessed. And then, also, who was he to talk?

Willow Rosenberg lolled in a booth, longtime girlfriend Tara at her side. The witches looked glowy--and cozy, he noticed--leaning into one another, glowy glowiness being all…glowy. He wondered if the glow was something to do with the noticeably…and admittedly hair raising, if only to the mystically sensitive vamps in the room…awesome amount of magical energy that crackled between them. Or if it was just the fact that they seemed so happy…

Another girl sat off to the side of them, and he almost didn't recognize Amy. The witch looked far less furry than the last time he'd seen her. And she wore a wide eyed expression...still contemplating running wheels maybe? Angel's thoughts ran short when he spotted someone he hadn't expected to see. Dawn, all grown up, grinned at him from where she stood at the edge of the stage where a moment ago she'd been egging on Spike, whooping and hollering and humoring him as she pretended to be a groupie.

Angel's eyes finally fell on Buffy, sitting apart from everyone else, a halo of gold about her head that had never left her for him. He stared, and when she stared back, the look she gave him wasn't exactly what he'd expected to see from the Slayer. She smiled--almost shyly—insecurely maybe? It didn't matter, she'd started to get up from her seat.

He was about to ask what catastrophic event had brought them all out of their own Hellmouth at Sunnydale to his own little Hellhole called L.A. when finally, thanks to Anya, a hesitant "SURPRISE!" was finally bellowed out. 

Wesley, Gunn and Fred, virtually appearing from nowhere surrounded him. And as the others rushed towards Angel, Spike made sure to stay exactly where he stood on stage. The platinum blonde looked rather perturbed that the attention was no longer on him, but he was quiet. Just impatiently waiting as he gripped the mic while the others swarmed about Angel. But after a moment, patience wore thin and the younger vamp rolled his eyes, and mumbling something volatile under his breath, decided to purposefully ignore those on the ground floor and continue on with his song and dance.

_            "It's a nice day for a White Wedding…"_

Angel didn't get it. Even as he finally noticed the balloons and streamers. 

He looked up to find a huge, brightly painted banner strung along the wall with the words 'Happy Birthday Angel' written on it…only the Angel had been crossed out with a marker and the word 'Poof' had been scrawled in…penmanship remarkably close to that of Spike's hand. 

Angel was frozen with shock until Fred, using the company's digital camera, snapped a picture right in his face. The flash caused him to wince, and he recoiled painfully, and it was enough to snap him out of his petrified state. He glanced over to find Paige still at his side, grinning from ear to ear. Then Fred threw her arms about his neck and gave him a big, enthusiastic hug, her grip tighter than he'd thought possible from someone so small and lithe as she. Strong arms, that one, he thought as she finally pulled away and allowed Wes and Gunn to give him their version of the guy hug. Xander and Anya and the witches said hello, Dawn gave him an excited waive, and Buffy stepped up to say congratulations.

"Happy Birthday," She said. She slipped into his arms, hugging him warmly and kissing him on the cheek.

"Birthday???" He asked, puzzled as she released him.

"Hey, talk to Cordelia."

Lorne came from around from the bar and made sure to shake his hand.

"Hey there, gorgeous! In case you haven't guessed, this is your surprise birthday party!"

"M-my birthday?"

"The banner didn't say it all? I thought it pretty much spoke for itself…"

"What do you mean, birthday???" Angel repeated again fuzzily. Paige took his arm in hers, squeezing it appreciatively.

"Are you surprised, Angel?" Willow asked.

"Uh…y-yeah. Totally."

Up until then, Cordelia had gone unnoticed. She spun around on her barstool, sucking a cherry from its stem as she watched Paige the Date hang off of Angel's arm. Dropping the stem back into her empty glass, Cordelia gave them both a sour look. With a long, hard sigh, she mustered up enough want-to to pull herself from the bar stool and trudge up to Fang Face and Little Bo Peep--as sickening as the whole situation was--and smile. 

And also, by now, she was just a little bit drunk.

"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show." She scoffed, walking tall, if not a little wobbly, to confront the two of them. Paige looked up, feeling very nervous. She released Angel's arm, and slipped up to Cordelia in apology.

"I'm so sorry we're late," She swore, eyes wide and sincere. "We kinda just…lost track of time. But when we saw what time it was, we rushed over here, we really did!"

"I just BET you did,"

"I sorry we're late, I'm really sorry—"

Cordelia practically shoved Paige aside and strode up to Angel. The others parted a path, intelligently, and Xander pulled Anya extra close. He knew sometimes these things with Cordy got _messy_.

Stopping just short of bumping into his nose, Cordelia crossed her arms and glared.

"You!" She breathed, nostrils flared and nose pink from drink. "You're late!"

The music from Spike's set still played in the background, though now the Vamp stopped singing and amusedly watched the show. The Seer glared up at Angel, and he stared back. One minute passed, then two, though it was probably more like just a few long seconds. Didn't matter to Cordelia, she'd been waiting all night. What was another quarter of an hour if she wanted it, standing there staring ruefully at her so-called best friend. 

"Cordelia," He smiled gently, and somewhere in the interim, Paige slipped back up to his side. "Hi."

"Yeah! So! I went to all this trouble…" She snapped caustically. Her body swayed slightly, inebriated. But she somehow managed to maintained a dead on eye contact that was enough to make even Angel feel a like shrinking and hiding. "You're late!" She scolded. "And, you know…I think you know that doesn't make me happy." 

Anya glanced up at Xander and he just pressed his lips tighter together, holding his breath. Wesley and Gunn moved to flank Cordelia, worrisome expressions on their faces. Lorne bit his ruby red lips…party suddenly about to take a dive.

Everyone was staring at her, she could feel it. Cordelia glanced around, catching their frowns. Fred actually looked afraid, and everyone else looking really uncomfortable. Gunn gave her a disparaging shake of the head, but she turned to ignore him and instead, spat,

"So…Like…I did all of this for you! And you have the nerve to be LATE…" 

Angel sighed as if he were stilling himself for a storm.

"You like…go to dinner, and like, hang out with…" She glared at Paige.

The venom in her eyes, and the others were ready to intervene. Lorne said a silent thank you, glad that the club was magically charmed making it invulnerable to human-on-human violence.

Cordelia stared at Paige hard, Paige looking really sorry. The Seer's eyes narrowed as some really spitefully brilliant ideas on how to handle Miss Thing sprang to mind. A smile even started to curl at her lips, fantasies of looks of horror and hurt from Miss Thing running rampant through her mind. She bit down on each word, processing them very deliberately. "You hang out with her. And you…you…yous…"

Suddenly the thick fuzziness of her tongue stalled her, but not matter. She swayed a little, smiling even, as she basked in her own little torturous fancy. Angel cocked his head at her, and reached out for her arm.

"Cordy, you okay?"

"I think she's had a little too much to drink," Lorne started.

"Maybe she should sit down…" Tara suggested.

"Xander," Willow said. "Get her a chair."

"I DON'T WANNA SIT DOWN," She snapped. She took a step back, and almost stumbled. Wesley and Gunn reached out simultaneously to catch her if she fell, but she didn't. 

Suddenly Cordelia's boiling anger turned in to a pissed off hurt and her tone changed from menacing to high pitched wailing, and her face dropped and she looked like she were about to cry. 

"You were late!" She pouted babyishly. "You were supposed to be here at nine! NIIIIIINNNNE." She pointed at the clock on the wall. "It's after ten, Angel! Tell me, how am I supposed to make a good party if you don't show up on time!"

"I'm so sorry, Cordelia! It was my fault!" Paige interrupted.

"I'm sorry," Angel said, interjecting, looking suspiciously amused. He stepped towards her and gently took her wrist, and she let him as he helped to steady her off kilter step. 

"I'm sorry Cordelia, what can I do?"

She looked up at him forlornly.

"Huh, Cordy? Tell me. What can I do?"

"Well..." She sighed reverently, everyone holding their breath. A look passed between Wesley, Gunn and Lorne. Lorne smirked, shaking his head at a loss of the whole situation.

"Mmm, Well," Cordelia toiled. "I don't know, I guess you could—"

"I am so sorry, Cordy," Paige interrupted yet again.

Cordelia coolly ignored her.

"Well I guess…" She stepped in closer to him, looking up into his eyes and smiling softly. "The least you could do is give me a hug and thank me, you big retard." She suggested.

A sigh of relief ran through the group and Angel opened his arms to her.

"Thank you." He said, and she fell into him. He hugged her, and she rolled her eyes, and the moment was interrupted as Spike blew into the microphone.

"Helllllllo!!! Trying to put on a show here!"

"Go ahead, honey!" Lorne encouraged. "Sing it up! You look marvelous up there!"

"I do, don't I!" Spike beamed.

"You sure do! Now go on! We need some MUSAC!"

"Right then."

Spike pushed a few buttons on the karaoke machine and another song came on. 

"Sergio!" Lorne called, rushing over to his boy wonder. "More drinks! And bring out some more food! Oh, and get that special bottle of chilled O negative that's hidden in the back of the fridge! I've been saving it for for Angel for DAYS! And bring out two glasses so Blondie there can have a drink too…"

Everyone was all smiles again, and Wesley taking the intruder aside, took the liberty of introducing everyone to Paige.

"You know, it's not my birthday," Angel said as he and Cordelia broke apart.

"Sure it is." Cordelia shrugged.

"249 doesn't come around for a couple of months."

"NO," She said, shoving his arm playfully. "This isn't your VAMP birthday, this is your HUMAN birthday!"

"My what???"

"You're human birthday!"

Angel looked confused.

"But Cordy, I can't even remember…"

"Look. Wesley was digging around for some information on the Internet last month. He came across this…thing. I don't know what you call it, some service thing. Like a family tree data base thingie,"

"A family tree database."

"Right."

"Oh."

"And, like, for 29.95 they'll track your family history, like even all the way back to the 1600's! So I was like, Hey, let's try it on Angel! And he was like, no, no, don't be silly! And I was like, Come on, Wes, you FREAK! Let's just see! And he was like, No, no, all no nonsense Wesley, and so I was like, Just give me the keyboard! Get outta my way! And so I start digging around in your hometown records, oh…I guess maybe about the time I figured you were still all Irish boy and not all fangy—"

"And you found my family history???"  
"Well no. There wasn't anything."

"Oh."

"It IS the Internet after all," Cordelia said. "They've got a lot, but they don't got everything. ANYWAY. So then I like REALLY started wondering, you know, when it was that you were born. And I don't mean turned, I mean born. As in human. As in baby!" She grinned. "And then I got the cutest image in my head of you crawling around on a dirt floor in saggy, poopy filled pampers! HAHA! But then I realized there probably weren't any pampers way back then, so I pictured you laying in a hay crib with a leaf over your…er, baby parts…sorta like Jesus in the manger—"

"Hey, I didn't sleep in hay!"

"Anyway I just HAD to know when your birthday was, like cause, you know, we don't even know your _sign _or anything…" She smiled lopsidedly. "Well…turns out, Angel, that you are a Pisces."

"I am?"

"Yep."

"You were born on March 15th, 1727 in Galway, Ireland, so you're like really, really, old. And today is your birthday. And you are a Pisces."

"I am???"

"Yep. Old as dirt."

"Wow."

"I know."

"Wow."

"Enough Wow."

"Sorry."

"No problem."

"Wow."

Angel stared at her, completely in awe.

"So…you like the party?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes, yes, I do." Angel glanced about, taking in the group of "friends."

"I tried to get a hold of Kate, but she's gone. Sorry. I know she meant a lot to you."

"That's okay."

"And Buffy's here," Cordelia glanced over at the blonde talking with her sister. She looked up at Angel, almost hoping—if it meant that he'd drop page—for that old spark of intrigue at the B name to pop up in his eyes—

It didn't, darn it!

Cordelia would have seriously rather had him fawning over Buffy again than to be going out with Paige. She knew how to handle the Buffy situation. She knew what to do with broken hearted, mopey, sad assed Angel! But this happy-go lucky-possibly in love with a human girl-thingy just didn't compute—

Ah, but not her decision she guessed sadly. Time to buck up and welcome the date into their happy little sunless world. 

Cordelia rambled. 

"Angel…I'm really, really sorry about all the trouble I've caused. I talked…talked with Paige, and I think we got things squared away. I'm still not completely 100% agreed about you dating her…or anyone…for that matter. But if she's what you want, well…then…and you're right, she's a nice person." Tears started to sting in her eyes, and she couldn't help it. Her voice cracked, and came out low, throaty, and rushed. "Angel…she likes you. She really, really likes you. Might even…love you...and I don't want to be the reason you don't get to be loved! I mean, if there was something I could do, something to take the place of that, I might…if I knew, I mean, that you'd be like…happy—"

Angel froze, gazing at her, and suddenly she blushed. 

Panic started to build in her stomach, and she cursed herself for opening her mouth to begin with. 

She started to apologize, and apologize thoroughly, for everything. But when she looked back up at him, and saw the way he was looking down at her, all the words flew right out of her head! Everything did, in fact, except for him. And so they stared at one another, locked away in some clichéd eternal moment, where confusion and anger had been placed aside and all there was were the both of them.

So many things ran through his head in that moment. So many things through hers. If he could just tell her everything—open his mouth, let it all spill out! Nothing held back, true revealed—she would understand! If SHE would just let it all out, tell him everything—let him hear what she had been thinking, give him a clue, give him the choice—he'd want her too.

And then things would be perfect.

Things would be absolutely perfect, and nothing could ever come between them again…

As it were, perfection was out of his league, and it was a cold, harsh reality that slammed down on her shoulders. She blinked, head cleared, and Cordelia felt the moment fade.

"Angel," She said, resigned to the fact that in the here and now, the foot between them was the closest they'd ever truly be. "If you haven't already, tell her what you are. I don't think it will matter, I think she'll…she'll…it'll be okay. Look, just tell her, okay?"

And then, before Angel could respond, a head popped up to his right and there was Paige—speak of the devil—wrapping her warm little fingers about his arm.

"Wow, Angel, you have a lot of cool friends! I'm glad I got to meet them."

"Hi, Paige." Cordelia said brightly. She regarded the other girl. "Look, thanks for getting him here. I'm sorry if I…well, just sorry. You did me a huge favor, so…I owe you one."

"Oh…it's cool." Paige smiled, and owing it to this girl, Cordelia started to back away.

"Look, I'm, uh, going to get another drink. Water, this time. So…Angel, go. Have fun. Talk to your guests. They're here for you…"

"But Cordy—"

"I need to…go over there." Cordelia regarded the other end of the bar nervously, then spun and departed. 

And Angel would have stopped her if it weren't for Paige tugging him the other way.

"Angel, introduce me to your friend on stage! He's a riot! And I love his accent!" 

Angel glared down at Paige and frowned.

"Uh?"

"Come on! Introduce me!"

Angel allowed himself to be led away. He would have been worried…no matter what she thought, Paige did not want to get involved with Spike! But lucky…if you could call it that…for her, Angel knew for a fact that Spike and Buffy…were…well….sorta together…


	10. 

Title: The Date (10) Written: Author: RachelDemented  
  
Email: rach@cynicalgirls.com; rachelfromihj@hotmail.com  
  
Rating: PG 13  
  
Summary: Cordelia doesn't know what to think when Angel suddenly starts dating.  
  
Dedication: To Califi, for getting on my ass to finish this, and all the fans of this story and all the C/A shipper fans out there who are being screwed over by Joss Whedon's decision to write Cordelia out of the show. Distribute: Take it, please! Drop me a line to let me know where.  
  
Written: Parts 1-9 of this story were written in September 2001. Part 10 was written in June 2003. Sorry it's taken so damn long. Part 11 will be up shortly. Takes place: March of 2002.  
  
The party had, so far, gone off without a hitch. There had been LOTS of dancing-even Angel when he'd made a total ass of himself after Paige had begged and pleaded with him to join everyone else in getting down. That had lasted all of about two minutes before Angel decided to take a permanent breather and sit his ass out. It hadn't helped that Spike had laughed and pointed. Cordelia was vaguely satisfied with that.  
  
There had also been lots of eating-finger foods and hors de vours GALORE. There was lots and lots of drinking; hence Angel's venture into disco- mania. And then there had been a monstrous three-tiered chocolate crème- frosting cake afire with 249 candles that Willow, Tara and Amy had "whipped up" in the kitchen and almost dropped when they brought it out singing, "Happy Birthday".  
  
Paige narrowly questioned the purpose of so many candles.  
  
Finally, there had been presents. And Angel was buried in wrapping paper for about twenty minutes while he carefully opened all of them. Everyone had given him something flippant or sentimental, especially Buffy; her gift had been a silver bookmark engraved with a cryptic verse that only Angel seemed to understand. Surprisingly, Angel found Spike's gift to be possibly the most useful-and at the same time, most insulting-of all: a sharpened wooden stake topped of with a shiny, pink bow and the word "Poof" burned into it (Angel pretended to stake Spike with it) and with the card, a twenty-dollar gift certificate to The Home Depot, "For a more powerful tool," Spike had written. Paige didn't get the stake and she didn't get the humor. Everyone else thought it was hilarious.  
  
Definitely the most useless gift of all had come from Xander, who'd given him a Hawaiian shirt in a big, yellow pineapple pattern.  
  
"Cool, huh! I've got one at home just like it," Xander boasted.  
  
Despite the fact that the shirt would be going into the incinerator the second he got home, Angel thanked Xander for it graciously.  
  
In fact, he thanked everyone graciously for everything; even Cordelia when she pretended to have forgotten his gift at her apartment and promised she'd bring it in to the office, "sometime next week."  
  
(That was a lie; her gift to him was tucked away in her purse. She decided that some things were better left private, and so she wanted to give it to him when they were alone.that was if she could ever get him alone for half a millisecond. That damn Paige was CONSTANTLY buzzing around.)  
  
So, no gift from Cordy. It seemed that Paige had also come to the table gift-less.  
  
Pretty tacky, Cordelia thought, considering she'd had a whole half a week to go out and buy him a present. Cheap and stupid, too, she laughed to herself. That was until Paige made the announcement that she'd be giving Angel her gift "later"-alluding to more than even Angel had apparently anticipated; his brow was the first to shoot up at the facetious yet intense remark, and he seemed a little uncomfortable with the looks he got from the others.  
  
Bitch, Cordelia had thought. But then smiled anyway at Paige's embarrassed giggle.  
  
All that had happened hours ago.  
  
"So, that's her." Buffy said, chewing on a maraschino cherry. "Yep," Cordy sighed insipidly. "That's the date." The Slayer repeated. "Uh huh." "She's all teeth!" "Yep," "And Angel really likes her?" "Unfortunately," Cordelia muttered. "Well," Buffy paused trying to think of something positive to say. The only thing she could come up with was, "She's a.really.good.dancer. In a slutty sort of way." "She's a skank." Cordy huffed. "Oh yeah." Buffy agreed, settling into a funk. "Total skank."  
  
Buffy and Cordelia watched Paige out on the dance floor as she wiggled and jiggled her ass in circles around everyone else, dancing with anyone and anything, including green horned demons and platinum blonde Vampires. Buffy found some humor in the way that Spike pretended not to notice, but it was of little comfort to the green eyed monster rearing it's ugly head inside of her. Paige was trying TOO hard to catch her boyfriend's attention.  
  
Paige ran her hand up and over Spike's shoulder, then wiggled around to shake her stuff in his face. He smirked to himself, slightly bemused, and again spun about, turning his back to her. Paige made the same move again, and Buffy's boyfriend once again rejected her advances. He caught sight of Buffy watching them and flashed her a sexy, wanton smile. Buffy's funk suddenly lifted and she realized she was being unfair.  
  
"Cordy," The Slayer said. "This is silly. We have no right to be jealous-" "JEALOUS?" Cordelia repeated incredulously, nearly spewing her drink. "Who said anything about being jealous? I'm not jealous! I'm-I'm-" "Jealous?" The Slayer repeated again. "Well," Cordy groaned. "Just a little.but not in the same way you are! I mean, despite the fact that it's been eons since I've gotten any, YES, I am a little envious. But it's SO not even a big deal! Not at all. But you," She regarded Buffy with an arched brow. "Buffy, you must be OUT OF YOUR MIND with jealousy! After the way you and Angel carried on." "Well, I wouldn't say 'out of my mind'," The Slayer wrinkled her nose. "Jeez!" The Seer continued. "My jealousy doesn't even pretend to fit in the same league as yours.you know, tortured romance and all that. That's something that only you two share in common, it has NOTHING to do with me. I'm not upset because he's." She regarded Paige ruefully. "With that. I admit, I don't want Angel getting his rocks off, but it's for a very different and logical reason than you. It absolutely has nothing to do with." She observed Paige with disdain. "Miss Long flirty eyelashes and Big Boobs over there. NO WAY. My annoyance is strictly danger control. I don't want that bit-uh, chick, unleashing Angelus on the world. The PTB know we've had enough of that mess already. I mean, DUH. The curse is what's bothering me. HELLO. Strictly curse factor, here! You, more than anyone, should be able to understand that," "Whatever you say, Cordy." Buffy smiled. She looked at Paige, still trying to dirty dance with her Boy Toy, and then she looked at Angel, hiding away in a darkened corner where he thought no one would pay him attention. He looked very alone. Guilt caused the Slayer's smile to falter just a little.  
  
"I mean, really! ME, jealous-"  
  
Buffy got up, pushing in her chair. "Cordy, I don't mean to bail on the girl talk, but." She motioned to Spike. Cordelia peered at him, and glared at Paige with fervor. "Say no more, Sister." She said. "Go protect what's yours," "Thanks. I'll see ya." "See ya." Cordy waived her off with a tight-lipped smile, and Buffy headed to break up the scandal on the dance floor. The Seer took a sip of her margarita and lapsed into a deep, somewhat depressed silence in the loneliness of her table. Her tiny clutch purse sat on the table beside her, Angel's gift inside.  
  
JEALOUS. Pft.  
  
It was still a struggle for her, the whole concept of what she was doing. She thought about taking Angel's gift and smashing it, just throwing it on the floor and stomping the hell out of it until it was good and smashed. But after the thousandth argument with her self over what her conscience whispered for and her heart screamed against, Cordelia succumbed to what felt like her doom, and eyed her purse carefully.  
  
She'd give it to him. Oh yes. She would. And not just to appease the guilt that had been eating at her since the other night when he'd stormed into her apartment and begged to know why she'd been acting like such a shit head. She'd give it to him not just to allow him some badly needed love. Cordelia would hand it over for the sole purpose of repairing the rift she'd caused in their relationship; as an act of good faith and good will and all that crap, so he'd realize just what a good friend she wanted to be, so he'd forgive her for her misdeeds, and they could move on for once and for all; so that she could accept his choices and get past it, and forget about the pain that was beginning to consumer her every time she looked his way.  
  
They'd never be friends again until she swallowed her pain, and her pride.  
  
The little vial of juice she liked to think of as Vampire Viagra sat impatiently in her handbag. Giving it to him would be her way of proving that she was honky-dory.even if it was the biggest lie she'd ever tell; to him, to herself.  
  
But she'd get over it.right?  
  
Angel had been completely content, alone in his dark corner watching everyone else have fun. But now, Paige spotted him and, permanently cast from Spike's personal bubble, took it upon herself to invade his quietude. She flounced up, slid into the chair beside him, and skin glistening with perspiration, asked, "You having a good time?" "Uh, sure," Angel fibbed, glancing about at all the streamers and balloons. "I'm having.big fun." "This is really a kick ass party. Your friends must really care about you," "I'm glad you're having fun," he said in all sincerity. "I was sort of worried." She gave him a funny look. "After what we talked about earlier." He paused, not needing to state the obvious. Paige was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Angel, I think I'm okay with it," She finally said, and grinned. He was surprised. "Really?" "Yeah, really. I mean I get that you're not ready for a relationship. Not that I understand why, exactly. I mean you're not exactly forthcoming with the details."  
  
Guilt flashed across Angel's face.  
  
"To tell the truth," Paige continued. "I was more worried about how you were feeling with it. Like, I don't want you to feel awkward around me, ya know? This is like probably the last time we'll really hang out. I'd say lets be friends, but." Her grin faltered, looking down. "But you know that never really works out." She seemed to be waiting for a response. "Yeah," was all Angel could say. "I'm not going to pretend that I wish things were different." Paige said solemnly. "I wish they could be too," "But I'd like to have fun." She looked back up at him, a new flirtatiousness in her eyes. "I want you to have fun, Angel. I want to have fun. Can't we have fun together? It is your birthday after all." Angel started to feel uncomfortable. "What do you mean, fun?"  
  
The lights suddenly died down, casting the club into complete darkness before the karaoke stage lit up in a burst of color. Lorne appeared, mic in hand, and tapping it gently, he called out for everyone's attention. Angel, momentarily distracted from their conversation, turned away from Paige and her smile hallowed with disappointment. She took the opportunity to remind him of her presence by running her fingers across his upper thigh. Smiling at his wide-eyed reaction, she quickly looked away and watched Lorne on the stage. "Hey kiddos, having fun?" Lorne asked. "YEAH, hell yeah!" Everyone shouted, half drunk and feeling better than great. "Good! Good! Glad! Glad! I'm having a great time, too. Nothing's better than a little birthday bash to bring old friends together, heh?" Everyone grinned. "First I'd like to send a nod and a wink to the birthday boy himself," Lorne looked his way and the spotlight found Angel. "I know we clapped after 'Happy Birthday'," Lorne said. "But let's give the old guy another round of applause, huh? It takes a lot to stay looking so fresh when you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders and no reflection to check your 'do!" Everyone laughed and clapped for Angel. "You look fresh, Baby!" Lorne exclaimed. "Very, very fresh! Poppin' fresh dough fresh, doesn't he everyone?" "POOF!" yelled Spike.  
  
Angel frowned, a little more than embarrassed. Lorne moved on, and the spotlight finally fell away from Angel, Paige at his side.  
  
"Anyway, gats, I called your attention because I think it's time to start another round of karaoke, don't you? And I've got a perfect little number for a perfect little gal to start us off. We haven't heard from her in a while, and while I know for a fact that she's not so keen on the mic, not without a few tequilas first anyway, ha-ha," Everyone laughed. "Well, folks, truth is, I'm pretty keen on her! As we all should be. So whatdoyasay, fans? Let's give her some courage! Give her a big round of applause! Give it up now for the incredible I-want-her-edible because she's just oh-so-pet-able Cordylicious!"  
  
The spotlight suddenly found Cordy, mostly oblivious to the party up to this point. After her initial shock, she glared past the ultra bright light at Lorne, hatred brewing in her smoky hazel eyes. He started to wonder if this was a mistake, but blew it off to encourage her participation "Come on, girl! Let's shake some rust off those pipes!" He called out. "Come on Cordy!" Fred hollered out. "CORDY! CORDY!" Xander and Gunn started up, causing everyone to erupt into chant. "NO WAY!" Cordelia called back, shaking her head. A drunken Wesley waived her up. "Shumon Corshelia, give ush a show!" "COME ON, PRINCESS!" Lorne begged. The Cordy chant was not about to let up. "Oh damn," Cordelia sighed, resigning to the fact that this night, she'd be forced to make a fool herself. Utterly embarrassed, she reluctantly stood, and everyone cheered louder. Cursing to herself, she happened to glance Angel's way. And for just a moment, she caught his eyes.  
  
His empathy-enhanced by gentle, loving amusement-called out to her, and for a sliver of a second, she forgot all of her spite.  
  
Paige was somewhat bothered by the way Angel was staring at the brunette, and tugged hard at his sleeve.  
  
When Cordelia finally broke eye contact, Angel remembered him self and acknowledged Paige's second, hard tug at his sleeve. "Huh?" He mumbled. "Can we talk?" "What?" He finally glanced her way. "I asked if we could talk," Paige bit icily, and tugged his sleeve with a third and final jerk. "But, Cordy's going on." "This really can't wait," "Well.uh." Angel hesitated, and she dug her fingers in a little more. "Ok, sure." He said, giving in, and Paige quickly dragged him from his seat. They crossed the floor as Cordelia came to stand beside Lorne on stage. They exited through double doors, and lost themselves to the abandoned kitchen.  
  
Not noticing his absence, Cordelia took the microphone as Lorne handed it over. He leaned in whispering, "Sing it out with all your heart. You'll feel better, kitten. I promise." "You'll feel dead, but whatever." She grumbled, and he snickered good- naturedly. "You're gorgeous, did I mention you are gorgeous? Break a leg." Avoiding her swat, the green demon quickly relinquished the spotlight to her, blinding her to the rest of the room.  
  
Only about a dozen or so old friends watched in anticipation. Cordelia could only imagine the smirks and giggles taking place as she waited impatiently for whatever music it was that Lorne had picked out for her to sing to. When it took more than a second to start, she made sure to signal her displeasure with a cough and a grumble. It echoed through the room and suddenly the speakers sizzled to life. Cordelia found herself gripping the mic in nervousness as she wondered sarcastically just what magic melody Lorne had chosen to make everything wrong in her life go right. She wondered how much everyone would laugh at her. She wondered how bad she was going to sound. Not knowing he'd left, she mildly feared what Angel would think of her, and was quickly annoyed by the thought of Paige snickering in his ear as they watched her.  
  
But, whatever. Too late now.  
  
"Oh, great," She muttered, teeth grit, as a familiar instrumental started and lyrics to the song flashed upon the karaoke machine's screen. The simple recorded piano keys tugged at the air, and in an untrained and wavering voice, Cordelia attempted to sing:  
  
"I took my love and I took it down  
  
Climbed a mountain and turned around And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills 'til the landslide brought it down"  
  
From below, Lorne watched her with an intense gaze, nodding his head ever so often as if to encourage her on.  
  
"Oh, mirror in the sky-What is love? Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides, Can I handle the seasons of my life?  
  
Well, I've been afraid of changin' Because I've built my life around you But time makes you bolder, even children get older, And I'm getting older too. So, take my love.take it down Climb a mountain and turn around And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills, Well, the landslide will bring it down The landslide will bring it down"  
  
A few minutes later, the song finally finished. And while her friends whistled and hollered and Lorne rushed to give her a big, fat congratulatory hug, she was still embarrassed beyond belief and more than relieved that it was over. "You're no Stevie Nicks," Lorne joked gently in her ear. "But it was all heart, kiddo. And you should believe in your heart."  
  
Not knowing exactly what he meant or how to respond, Cordelia nodded dumbly and he let her from the embrace. Gladly trading places, she turned the microphone back over to the green skinned demon, and left the stage to wade through her friends.  
  
"I would've choked," Buffy said, patting her on the back. "You're a braver gal than I." "I would've totally died," Willow said, shaking her head in apprehension. "Totally." "I thought it was choking," Xander teased. "Those strangled noises coming from your throat.that's what led me to the conclusion." "Oh, shut up, Xander." Cordelia scathed. "Just kidding, Cor. You were great!" "Not really, but thanks for lying," "Would I lie to you? I thought you rocked!" "Whatever. Thanks," She sighed, deciding she didn't really care what he thought. "Hey, have a drink with us!" Anya insisted. "Oh, no thanks," Cordy said apologetically. "I have something I need to do." She looked around the club, peering through balloons and streamers and smiling, drunken faces in search of the dark shadow she called 'friend'. When she couldn't find him, a frown creased her features. "Hey, seen Angel?" She asked aloud to no on in particular. "Yeah," Xander answered, gesturing towards the kitchen doors. "I think he and Paige headed out back, they seemed in a hurry," "They did?" "I think they wanted to be, you know, alone." "Oh," Cordy sighed. So they hadn't caught her show. Good. But they went off alone.bad. Her face fell a little. "They're probably going to have sex," Anya blurted out in the way that only Anya could. Everyone's mouth dropped, and Cordelia turned white. Very quickly, she gathered up her purse and started towards the kitchen. If she were going to give him his gift, she might as well give it to him now. She rehearsed along her way, trying to decide how best to present it to him:  
  
"Happy Birthday, Angel. And happy screwing!" "From one deprived person to another, make it count, Sailor!" "Here ya go, Angel. Now you can FINALLY get laid!" "Angel.I wish you the best.now go have sex!" "Angel, I thought you could use this.I don't want you to use it, but. its here if you really, really need to.please don't need to, though.not until I'm good and cold and dead." "What do ya say? Wanna get liquored up and try this out?"  
  
"Ugh," She sighed. NONE of those would work.  
  
Upon first entering the kitchen, Angel was getting mega-attitude from Paige. "You know, I'd appreciate it if you'd be straight with me," She said hotly, crossing her arms and pouting her lips. "What do you mean?" "All this crap about you not being ready for a relationship.why don't you just tell me the truth?" "I am telling you the truth," Angel swore, not understanding why she didn't get it. "Paige, I'm just not ready to be in a relationship.I can't give you the things you're going to expect,"  
  
And then she started speaking badly of Cordelia, and Angel got more than a little pissed at her.  
  
"If she would've kept her big nose out of it, things between us would be perfect right now!" Paige insisted. "And god, I can't believe I fell for her lies! She said she'd lay off, she swore to it! She promised, but she hasn't! And now everything's ruined! She's such a, a liar. She's so conniving! Oh my god, I swear! That BITCH!" "Whoa, Paige," Angel growled. "Just back off! I don't know what your problem is, but lay off of Cordelia, I mean it!" "She IS my problem, Angel! That little.she's turned you against me!" "No one's turned anyone against anyone! Just what the hell are you talking about?"  
  
Then Paige revealed their little talk the week before, about Cordelia's problem with her and why she didn't want them dating.  
  
"We had a little chat, girl to girl." Paige seethed. "I wanted to confront her about her behavior, you know, find out why she was being such a pain in the ass every time we went out together," "I know Cordy can be a pain," Angel said defensively. "But-" "She thinks we're in a competition, Angel. She's been competing with me for your attention, and she told me I was going to lose." "That's ridiculous," He snorted, not believing for a second that Cordelia would suggest any such thing. "She tried to scare me off, telling me a bunch of crazy lies," Paige exaggerated. "Lies?" Angel asked, sudden doubt springing to mind. "I couldn't believe any of it. What does she take me for, a fool?" "What'd she say?" Angel asked carefully.  
  
Among the thousand and one scenarios running through his brain, the most feared was of Cordelia screaming at the top of her lungs that he was a dangerous, blood thirsty, emotionally challenged demon of the night who was all but impotent when it came to meaningful.  
  
But she wouldn't do that, would she?  
  
"Angel! Why would she say those things? What kind of a friend is she to you to say things like that?" "What'd she tell you?" He repeated, genuinely serious. But she never answered. "I told her I didn't care about any of it," Paige continued adamantly. "I warned her to back off, and she said she would. She promised she would! But obviously she's been meddling, otherwise you wouldn't be treating me this way!" "Paige, my decision to end things between us has nothing to do with Cordelia," "Nothing?" Paige questioned, and Angel rethought his statement. "Well, little to do with Cordelia. Honestly, Paige.I'm breaking things off because of my own issues! Not Cordy's. This isn't because of Cordy, it's not even because of you, really. It's me. All me!"  
  
Paige suddenly quieted.  
  
"Paige, me breaking things off.all of that blame should fall on me. Please don't blame Cordelia, and please STOP calling her names and putting her down! I'm not with you because I'm not able to be in a relationship, not with you, not with anyone! Not now, and probably not for a long, long time." He sounded so frustrated and heartbroken. "I.I just can't be with you, Paige. I'm sorry," He lowered his voice, staring at her in earnest. "I.I can't." "But Angel, I think you can." She tried. "I can't, I'm sorry. I can't." "But Angel," She moved in slowly, coming in very close. She tried to put her arms around his neck, but he stopped her hands. "Paige, no." "But, Angel-" "NO."  
  
She stared up at him, scalded by rejection. Rejection turned to bitterness, and bitterness to anguish. Angel shook his head sadly as tears welled in her eyes. Her bottom lip began to quiver, and as she started to crumble, Angel, once again, felt monstrous for what he had done.  
  
"Paige." He said forlornly watching her face. "Paige, listen to me." He gently took her hands in his, and did his best to comfort her. "I don't want to hurt you. You're innocent, completely innocent, in this. And I think I've taken advantage of your innocence.I'm sorry, but I think I've used you. See, I haven't been innocent for a long, long time, and I think I was looking for something.someone.to hide behind for a while. A place, a place to forget my past, to forget all about everything for a while." "Angel, tell me everything," "Paige, please." "Tell me everything, and then we can get past this!" "I can't," "You can! Just give me a chance!" "No," "Tell me, Angel, tell me everything." "I can't, you wouldn't want to know," "I do want to know, Angel, I do." She stepped towards him, never breaking eye contact. "Tell me every little, wicked detail. I wont judge you, Angel. I SWEAR I wont judge you," "I wish it were that easy," "It IS easy," She pleaded. "It's easy if you want it to be!" "It's not going to happen, Paige." "But, Angel-" "No." "Angel, please," "NO." She started to really cry then, but he maintained his stoicism. "Angel."  
  
It wasn't until she fell against him, weeping against his chest, that his stoicism failed. What else could he do but take her in his arms, whisper soothing words, and let her cry?  
  
"Paige, I truly am sorry." "I am, too," She sobbed. "I wish there was something I could do to help you," "Well." She pushed away, wiping her eyes. "Would you." She hesitated for a second, sniffling lightly as a tear streamed down her cheek. "Would I what?" He asked softly. More hesitation. "What?" He urged again. "Would you.kiss me?" She asked, and the way she stared up at him made it very hard for him to say no. "I know you want to," She continued, eyes wet and voice slightly shaken. She slowly pulled him closer. "Angel, I dare you to kiss me. One last kiss. Come on, please?" "I don't.I don't know," He stumbled. "Angel," She whispered moving in closer. "I swear, you wont regret it."  
  
Closer and closer she drifted until finally her lips were against his and very softly she was kissing him. Out of kindness, and maybe a little out of his own want, he allowed the kiss to linger longer than he should have, and she took it as a sign to continue. She started to deepen the kiss, hands drifting up into his hair as her body stretched against his. Very slowly, he attempted to pull away, but she kept leaning farther in, pressing harder. It wasn't until her hands started to wander wildly that Angel realized he'd blurred a line. He pulled back quickly, rubbing his mouth as he stared down, wide eyed, at her. Her lips were mid-pout and it took her a second longer to open her eyes and stare back. The tears and hurt were gone, replaced by something much more uncompromising; ambition.determination.lust..  
  
"You want to touch me." She said, thrusting her body against his. "You want to touch me, you know it." "Uh, Paige-" "Don't worry, Angel! I wont bite.not the first time anyway! Look at me, Angel. I want you to look at me and see what you're missing out on. And then I want to feel you, feel you inside me, and I want to ride you. Hard. I want to give you the ride of your LIFE. Give me a chance, and I swear you'll come harder than you ever have before."  
  
Thunderstruck, Angel could only gawk. With a devilish smile, Paige lifted off her blouse and tossed it to the floor. She unzipped her skirt, and stepped out of it as it fell to her ankles. Angel gulped, gulped hard.  
  
Not only was she vehemently outspoken about wanting to screw him right there on the kitchen floor, but now she was also standing before him in scarlet red lingerie: thong, garter, stockings and all. And for just a moment, just a split moment, Angel reacted like a man; listening to the fire in his penis instead of the brain in his head. She came forward and kissed him again, and he just stood there like a dunce.  
  
"Angel." Paige cooed, running her hands up and down his chest. He eyed her creamy flesh; breasts ready to harvest as they bulged and overflowed around the tightly binding lace. "I want your eyes on me at all times."  
  
And then she did something he really hadn't expected; she crouched on her knees and started unbuckling his belt.  
  
"P-Paige," Angel stammered. "Please stop it. Now," "Baby, I can't wait to taste you," She pulled at the belt harder and it was undone. "P-Paige, NO-" "Shhh, be still," "Paige-" "I'm going to rock your world," "PAIGE-"  
  
And then suddenly his zipper was unzipped and her hand was grasping at the bulge in his pants that wanted very much to spring free. Finally, the lead drained from his legs, and Angel jumped back, pulling away from her prying fingers and open lips.  
  
"Angel!" She said crossly, still on her knees. "STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" "Angel, this is your birthday gift! I want to give you your gift, come on!"  
  
Before he could even get his pants zipped up, Paige stripped off her bra and bore her taught, rotund breasts to him.  
  
"WHY, GOD, WHY?" He silently screamed.  
  
And then Cordelia burst through the door. 


End file.
